Differences in Assigning Values to Objects, Sums of Money

As characters in the novel weigh in on their opinions of the value of certain items in the novel it appears that monetary value, just like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Differing values are assigned to a variety of items like a pair of red ballet flats of which both Melody and Jack give widely different opinions their worth. The Rodin statue is another object in the book that is given different values by different characters. Finally it is noted that Nathan Chowdhury has money he wisheds to invest in a literary magazine. The value of his intended investment differs depending on who considers the investment.

The pair of red ballet flats seen by both Melody and Jack are a good example of how things can have a different value to different people. When Melody...