I say that almost everywhere there is beauty enough to fill a person's life if one would only be sensitive to it. but Henry says No: that broken beauty is only a torment, that one must have a whole beauty with man living in relation to it to have a rich civilization and art. . . . Is it because I am a woman that I accept what crumbs I may have, accept the hot-dog stands and amusement parks if I must, if the blue is bright beyond them and the sunset flushes the breasts of sea birds?

Summary

This quote highlights a contrasting perspective on beauty between the narrator and Henry. The narrator believes that beauty can be found in small, imperfect fragments, appreciating the beauty that exists even in mundane things like hot-dog stands and amusement parks. They argue that one should be sensitive to the beauty in everyday life. On the other hand, Henry argues that broken beauty is torment and believes that true beauty lies in a complete and harmonious civilization. The mention of being a woman suggests that perhaps the narrator's acceptance of "crumbs" of beauty stems from a perspective enriched by gratitude and finding joy in the simplest of things.

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