Before starting this text, I will say that I found the idea of it daunting. I did not have much of an idea of what to expect, other than the thought that probably I would find it challenging, and didn’t know if it would end up being something that I enjoyed. This mindset, I found, … Continue reading Proust
Marcel Proust’s Combray was a challenging yet profound read for me. I expected to run into some trouble trying to…
Proust’s “Combray” has many different elements working all at the same time. There are many aspects of the text to discuss and infinitely more meanings to take from these aspects. Throughout the text, I had an issue pinning down the tone which Pr…
Proust’s “Combray” has many different elements working all at the same time. There are many aspects of the text to discuss and infinitely more meanings to take from these aspects. Throughout the text, I had an issue pinning down the tone which Pr…
I found Marcel Proust’s “Combray” to be a great portrayal of his main ideas in the novel for many reasons, and I also found it to be quite enjoyable read. I specifically enjoyed the way in which he gets his … Continue reading
As the first text of the semester, it was definitely an interesting experience as it was, as I’m sure was the same for many, my first piece translated from a romance language. I can definitely agree with having difficulty reading through it, often going back through sentences and paragraphs to make sense of what I […]
Combray – Proust
Part 1 of Combray definitely left me confused. Although it was beautifully written and was clear on some aspects of the plot, I still found it very difficult to follow any kind of storyline. This may because, from my understanding, Marcel is going back and fourth from reality to dreams/memories. If that is the case then maybe I was not supposed to follow a direct plot and it was supposed to feel like it was jumping from one thing to another. I’m not sure which parts Marcel was awake and which were dreams. Since I do not feel like I understood the story a whole lot, I will speak on the few themes I did catch from my reading and some things I liked about it.
The first thing I noticed within the first page was the use of imagery. Throughout the entire book I was able to visualize exactly what the author was trying to describe. One major example of this is when he was describing the stained – glass windows. I thought it was beautiful when he was speaking about how the light shining through the glass changed at all different times of day creating different shapes and colours, giving the illusion of a different room even though it was the same one, providing a sense of unfamiliarity as the glass changes. Giving Marcel relief from bad memories that took place in that place.
Another part that I thought was very real and stood out to me was Marcels relationship with his mother. There is a sense of attachment to her and the goodnight kisses she would give to him before bed. He would listen for her and when she would leave he wished he could get another. When she took too long to come or the goodnight was not long enough, a major anxiety was caused. This showed insight into Marcels characters emotions and the relationship he has with his parents. He says that his father would not approve of this deep connection he has towards these goodnight kisses as it would hold him back from independence. When Swann would visit, his mother would not come give him a goodnight kiss resulting in sadness. I believe these types of experiences can easily be related to many peoples childhoods and positive or negative relationships with parents.
Overall I thought this book used amazing description and imagery to bring each sentence to life. Although I didn’t completely follow, it was still enjoyable to visualize the locations described and appreciate the moments of the book I did understand.
Combray – Proust
Part 1 of Combray definitely left me confused. Although it was beautifully written and was clear on some aspects of the plot, I still found it very difficult to follow any kind of storyline. This may because, from my understanding, Marcel is going back and fourth from reality to dreams/memories. If that is the case then maybe I was not supposed to follow a direct plot and it was supposed to feel like it was jumping from one thing to another. I’m not sure which parts Marcel was awake and which were dreams. Since I do not feel like I understood the story a whole lot, I will speak on the few themes I did catch from my reading and some things I liked about it.
The first thing I noticed within the first page was the use of imagery. Throughout the entire book I was able to visualize exactly what the author was trying to describe. One major example of this is when he was describing the stained – glass windows. I thought it was beautiful when he was speaking about how the light shining through the glass changed at all different times of day creating different shapes and colours, giving the illusion of a different room even though it was the same one, providing a sense of unfamiliarity as the glass changes. Giving Marcel relief from bad memories that took place in that place.
Another part that I thought was very real and stood out to me was Marcels relationship with his mother. There is a sense of attachment to her and the goodnight kisses she would give to him before bed. He would listen for her and when she would leave he wished he could get another. When she took too long to come or the goodnight was not long enough, a major anxiety was caused. This showed insight into Marcels characters emotions and the relationship he has with his parents. He says that his father would not approve of this deep connection he has towards these goodnight kisses as it would hold him back from independence. When Swann would visit, his mother would not come give him a goodnight kiss resulting in sadness. I believe these types of experiences can easily be related to many peoples childhoods and positive or negative relationships with parents.
Overall I thought this book used amazing description and imagery to bring each sentence to life. Although I didn’t completely follow, it was still enjoyable to visualize the locations described and appreciate the moments of the book I did understand.
Hi again! Before explaining my thoughts and interpretations of Proust’s novel, I want to briefly talk about what the content of my posts will look like. Since the literary analyses I have written in the past have mostly focused on … Continue reading
I enjoyed reading the first part of Proust’s book. The intricate detail in every scenery and memory was breathtaking and truly brought me to experience those feelings. He described many feelings I have felt before and ones I never knew how to put into words. One that stuck with me was the feeling and the difference between sleeping in summer to sleeping in your bed in winter. The particular things we long for and how each feeling is connected to physical material. This could be as simple as the corner of the pillow or the window open. My favourite part of the text was the first couple of opening lines, where Proust describes falling asleep and being so tired that his candle was still lit. He described the feeling of your eyes closing so quickly that you don’t have time to even think about it and say to yourself that you are falling asleep. I struggle with horrible insomnia, and specific material things help me sleep and comfort me. When Proust described all these feelings about sleep, it connected with me, and I felt a sense of relief to know that the feelings I think can be expressed into words because I have always struggled to explain them to others. Some parts confused me because Proust would go into outstanding detail about feelings from his childhood that did not make sense to me. Overall the story he told of his childhood home was fascinating because he brought into play the dynamics of his family and how each person affected how he felt. I was very intrigued by the story about him longing to kiss his mother. The anxiety and the rush of being afraid and taking a risk himself by interrupting her from something important made me feel like I was there in the room, feeling the same way he did. He described the longing for someone we love perfectly, and I can relate to it, which will make me hold this story at heart forever. Proust ties the first chapter in so nicely by describing how his tea and any taste or smell can trigger a memory. I have often had a particular food or smell that I haven’t come across since I was a child that has triggered a memory. This memory almost feels unreal because it takes a little of your mind to dig deep and remember. His reflection on figuring out what memory the tea was brought up was authentic. Things don’t just come in life, we have to find a meaning behind it; not everything is black and white. My favourite line from this chapter is comparing taste and smell to souls because they last forever. I highly recommend reading this piece of outstanding literature, and I am super excited to read the next part and dive deeper into Proust’s mind and a cup of tea.
My question is: Why is Proust so attached to his mother and why is this image of a child needed there mothers comfort so bashed on?
