The Masterpiece

“Bobby Ray Dean couldn’t get any further away from the Tenderloin than this. He didn’t know who he was anymore. Somehow, Bobby Ray Dean had gotten lost between the Bird and Roman Velasco.”

This quote reflects the theme of The Search for Genuine Identity and Purpose. It juxtaposes all three of Roman Velasco’s identities, noting that the one associated with his childhood trauma—Bobby Ray Dean—has been hidden behind the others. Roman struggles to reconcile the changes in his life and feels like he has lost his true self.

“You’ve had more than your share of heartache, honey, but sometimes what looks like a gift is a gift.”

Grace’s best friend, Shanice Tyson, speaks these lines to Grace. She is addressing Grace’s wariness toward Roman and her hesitation about accepting his offer to rent the guest cottage on his estate. Shanice reminds Grace that despite the pain of her past, she must remember to approach life with openness and optimism.

“The crucifix bothered him. Why would anyone worship a man who claimed to be God and yet died on a cross? […] Jesus couldn’t save Himself. How could He save others?”

This quote comes from a flashback chapter, in which Roman is a young man touring around Europe to study the art of the great masters. While spending time in the old cathedrals of Italy and France, he observes the religious iconography and pious devotion of those around him, and this irritates him. This passage elucidates Roman’s biggest hesitation toward the idea of faith: He sees himself as someone who needed saving as a child, and he believes that God hadn’t saved him.