How are Eden and Rufus transformed by their southwestern road trip? Does it measure up to the glamorous jet-setting they did previously?
The trip allows Rufus and Eden’s relationship to evolve without the noise and drama of Rufus’s family. And, in many ways the trip is more special than any jetsetting adventure that they could have.
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I think in one sense the trip got them out of the manor house and into the real world, and , in another it moved them into a world of artistry and creativity that spoke to both of them..
The roadtrip marks a change in setting, in character, and in emotion for Eden and Rufus. Every aspect of the roadtrip is markedly different than what has come before. They’re on the road, literally in the driver’s seat (sharing the driver’s seat), so no longer jet-setting. They’re together traveling through low-key places at a low-key pace that they themselves have chosen. They’re not on any kind of schedule. There’s no dress code. There’s no one hovering about, no one to interrupt their time together. The roadtrip strips away the luxury, the excess, and all impositions, exposing them to raw, authentic experiences and thus a deeper emotional journey.
With this trip, a plan developed for the future of Greshamsbury and beyond. Rufus could envision reinventing derelict buildings to support artists and their work both at home and in resorts. Eden supported this vision and was reminded of how much Rufus cared about nurturing artists. Both Rufus and Eden realized their love for each other as well. This trip certainly was much better than a jet-setting one. It laid the ground for their futures together.
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I’m not sure they were transformed, as I believe they were always these people. Possibly the trip opened them up to the possibilities of what could be, but I think Rufus already experienced that in Hawaii and Eden already lived in the real world. What it did allow them to do was to discover each other without everyone else around them. They wre able to see who they were as a couple without everyone else.
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I think it allowed them to truly fall in love. They were able to be themselves and do what they wanted without scrutiny. It was better than the glamorous jetsetting.
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Totally agree. At last they could actually breathe & be themselves. It had to be exhausting for not only both of them but for almost all of the characters to constantly be scrutinized & walk on eggshells.
The road trip inspired a new vision for their future together. I don’t think either of them ever cared about glamorous jet-setting, especially Eden since that was not a part of her normal lifestyle.
The road trip allowed them to experience “how the other half lives” without the noise and distractions of everyone else’s expectations and demands. The road trip does not measure up in terms of extravagance but it allows them to focus on their own relationship and dreams for the future. They finally experience some authenticity.
I did not sense a transformation of Eden and Rufus but rather a sense of them relaxing while they enjoy simple things like the beauty of nature as they drive, breathing a sigh of relief as they get away from excessive materialistic concerns. They are finally able to just enjoy being themselves.
It was a way for them to be together on equal terms without worrying about the drama of Rufus crazy mother. They saw so much more together when they weren’t dealing with the money and lavish surroundings that they spent so much time in. A simple life helped them to see the creativity around them and also to decipher their true feelings for one another.