Discussion Question #9

[Amy]

Celia emphasizes that keeping the circus controlled is a matter of “balance.” And Marco suggests that the competition is not a chess game, but rather, a balancing of scales. However, both the circus and the competition get disordered at times—leaving both physical and emotional casualties in their wake. Is the circus ever really in “balance,” or is it a pendulum swinging from one extreme to the next?

[Amy]

I think it is both. Yes, it is like a pendulum, but when that pendulum swings to far to one side, either Marco or Celia must balance it and try to bring it back toward the middle. Eventually it swings the other way, and it must be balanced again.

[Amy]

I thought of it more as balance while reading the book. I had never considered a pendulum until I saw the question. I think that may be because balance was mentioned in the book so often, but I also think it was because the circus didn't really "swing" as much as it "tipped". Though with so many people "controlling the balance" it tipped more extremely at times.