University of Virginia, New Orleans Journals

Monday, January 9, 2006

Anna Oppenheimer, College of Arts & Sciences

We stopped by one fairly affluent home near Lake

Pontchartrain. Like many nearby houses, it sustained what

seems like irreparable damage due to Hurricane Katrina. The

front room and foyer of the house are entirely exposed to the

outdoors. What was left of the house’s frame is in the process

of being gutted, stripped of its drywall and insulation, by local

workers and volunteers. The debris is scattered on the

foundation of the front rooms or in the yard. A tree that,

judging by its root structure and truck size must be at least a

century old, rests on part of the roof that remains intact. By the

extent of the damage, it seems unlikely that the owners will

choose to rebuild this home to what it once was, if they choose

to rebuild it at all.

Hidden by debris and the sinking ceiling, something unexpected

hung from the rafters. It attracted my attention only when it

briefly reflected the light from the midday sun. When I

approached the house, I noticed that it was an ornate crystal

chandelier, seemingly undamaged either by the storm or

looters. Unlike the exposed insulation, the chandelier, firmly

secured to the rafters and strong in its own right, did not sway

and break away in the wind. Its delicate structure and

unblemished exterior distinguished it from the rotting rubble that

surrounded it. I know that I’m being an idealist, but this

beautiful lighting device could be symbolic in this setting. To

me, it represents a hope that remains among devastation.

Although many of the buildings and structures of New Orleans

are in pieces, the heart of the city, like the central chandelier

amidst a room of people gathered to break bread together,

remains as stable fixture around which the rest of the city can

rebuild itself. In a city in which over 75 percent of residents live

in darkness, the chandelier continues to provide light to homes

with or without electricity.

Original URL:

http://www.virginia.edu/topnews/releases2006/NewOrleansJourn

al02.html