Everything Here Is Beautiful

The novel ends similarly to how it began: in Miranda’s point of view. After Lucia’s death, Miranda thinks back on her actions, wondering where she went wrong: “Was I wrong? Misguided? Was I out of line? […] In retrospect, one could say it was Lucia’s right to live the life of her own choosing, regardless of her illness, and I should never have interfered” (354). Miranda’s guilt emphasizes the complexity of the relationships between people with mental illnesses and their loved ones. Bound by love and family obligations, Miranda believed it was her duty to do everything that she could to ensure Lucia got proper treatment. It is only in hindsight that Miranda realizes she did so at the expense of Lucia’s autonomy. Miranda wonders if she drove her sister to death by pushing her too hard, but she has no way of ever knowing the answer. Miranda’s guilt is common among caregivers, who often look back on their choices and question whether or not they were correct. However, those familiar with this experience point out that “harsh self-criticism and guilt do not bring a loved one back. They frequently block the mourning process from going forward” (Jacobs, Barry. AARP. “How to Handle ‘Hard Feelings’ After Caregiving Ends.” 2 Nov. 2022). Miranda cannot change the past, and she cannot know what she “should” have done to keep Lucia alive longer.

Over time, Miranda is able to focus on self-care and allow herself to mourn; eventually, she shifts away from self-blame. Miranda speculates that it “is easy to say” that Lucia’s condition drove her outside during the storm (356), but she chooses “to think that [Lucia] simply went out looking for something beautiful” (356). This comment touches on all of the major themes of the book. As described in the title, Everything Here is Beautiful, Lucia focused on the beauty of the world around her, appreciating the mundane things in life. Though her perceptions and reality did not always match up, Lucia found joy and beauty all around her, and often moved in pursuit of it. By associating Lucia’s death with Lucia’s desire to grasp beauty, Miranda adjusts her perception of Lucia’s death toward something positive. Rather than viewing Lucia’s death as a failure to fulfill her familial obligations, she views it as Lucia’s own choice, simultaneously freeing herself of responsibility and returning some autonomy to Lucia. Miranda also rejects the easy choice of blaming Lucia’s condition. This is a conscious effort on Miranda’s part to combat mental health stereotypes, which shows her efforts at viewing Lucia as a person, not just a condition.

The novel ends with Miranda and Essy’s reunion. This closes the loop of the story, bringing the Bok women back to New York. Essy, now much older, is the epitome of her diverse cultural heritage: “[O]ne would not be able to say with certainty whether she was of Chinese descent, or a Latina, or a Filipina, or even some kind of indigenous South American Indian” (348). Essy switches languages in her terms of endearment for Miranda, further representing the combination of cultures with which she was raised.

Despite Essy’s similarities to Lucia, Miranda understands that Essy is her own person. When Essy asks to learn about Lucia, Miranda obliges; she knows that is uniquely equipped to tell Lucia’s daughter about her mother, even though they spent many years apart. Teaching Essy about Lucia is another way of fulfilling familial obligation, enabling Essy to connect with her maternal, Chinese heritage. Miranda also displays character growth in the way she cautions Essy; though she informs Essy that Lucia’s condition was genetic and offers her some basic advice, she does not push Essy to seek a diagnosis or treatment. By respecting Essy’s autonomy, Miranda shows that she has let go of some of her survivor’s guilt and that she will not attempt to make up for Lucia’s death by controlling Essy. In treating Essy as her own person, rather than a person who might have schizophrenia, Miranda de-stigmatizes mental health and finds a little peace for herself, too.