In what ways are the settings of Butangen and Dresden different/similar?

In what ways are the settings of Butangen and Dresden different? How are they similar?

I’d love to reread the novel before answering this question, but here are some overall impressions:
Dresden is a city of light, both literally and figuratively. Its cutting edge technology give its inhabitants the opportunity to enjoy “modern” comforts. Its institutions of higher learning provide opportunities for advancements in science and technology. It offers a milieu for preservationists to work at saving the beauties of passing cultures. Dresden gives the impression of being a prosperous city, connected with the rest of Europe.

Butangen, on the other hand, is dark, cold, and isolated. Only the Pastor, who is not a native, seems to be interested in education. Folk memory and superstition prevail. Old methods of dealing with medical problems are preferred. I don’t think a ghost would show itself in Dresden, though no one would see it if it did. In olden times art and craft have flourished in Butangen (the famous Heckne weaves), but in the story’s present, the villagers must work too hard to keep themselves alive, to engage in extraneous activities like art.

I thought both cities were attractive for the way of life each offered. As I said in an earlier comment, I would have experienced Astrid’s dilemma if forced to choose between the two.

Butangen is still living in the past, while Dresden has the modern amenities of its time and offers more opportunities for learning and making a living. But along with that, the city is more impersonal, less of a shared history and with more inequality; whereas in Butangen, people know each other, help each other, share the challenges of their harsh environment and a collective memory. The three main characters each struggle in their different ways to reconcile the different values of past and present that these places represent—as people do today.

Dresden is a newer, modern city with thousands of residents. There are street lights in the city that keep the darkness away throughout the night. Dresden is also more impersonal with many people who are strangers to one another. Old customs are dying out as new ideas and education introduce new ways of thinking. The population in Dresden is more educated than the residents of Butangen and they are eager to embrace changes.

Butangen is an ancient town with only hundreds of residents. Everyone knows one another in Butangen and many are related to each other. They help each other when needed because they are almost like an extended family. The homes and buildings are old and dark; the only lights at night are from candles or fireplaces. People continue the routines learned from their parents and grandparents and there not many improvements in daily life from generation to generation.

Dresden is a newer, modern city with thousands of residents. There are street lights in the city that keep the darkness away throughout the night. Dresden is also more impersonal with many people who are strangers to one another. Old customs are dying out as new ideas and education introduce new ways of thinking. The population in Dresden is more educated than the residents of Butangen and they are eager to embrace changes.

Butangen is an ancient town with only hundreds of residents. Everyone knows one another in Butangen and many are related to each other. They help each other when needed because they are almost like an extended family. The homes and buildings are old and dark; the only lights at night are from candles or fireplaces. People continue the routines learned from their parents and grandparents and there not many improvements in daily life from generation to generation.