María Luisa Bombal Anthes (Viña del Mar, 8 June 1910 – 6 May 1980) was a Chilean novelist and poet. Her work incorporates erotic, surrealist, and feminist themes. In 1938 Bombal published La amortajada, which earned her the Premio de la Novela de la Municipalidad de Santiago (City of Santiago Novel Prize). While living in the United States, she wrote a novel in English, The House of Mist, which was a translation and extensive readaptation of her Spanish-language novel La última niebla. The House of Mist was later translated into Spanish by Lucía Guerra.
Bombal lived her final years in Chile. She became an alcoholic, which led to cirrhosis. Bombal died on May 6, 1980, in Santiago, as a result of gastrointestinal bleeding.
(Wikipedia)
Bombal and Peripheral Modernism
The power of fiction resides in the fact that it is not simply mimicry—or rather, that even mimicry is more than mere copy.
- Bombal, María Luisa. The Shrouded Woman. House of Mist and The Shrouded Woman. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1995. 155-259.
- Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying. New York: Vintage, 1987.
Bombal lived a full and tumultuous life across both North and South America, as well as a stint in France, with distinguished literary friends (including Pablo Neruda and Jorge Luis Borges), multiple marriages and love affairs, suicide attempts, and would-be murder. She tried to shoot herself in the neck in the home of a former lover, a pioneer Chilean pilot, using one of his guns to do so, but she survived, and was left with a distinctive scar. A decade or so later she shot the pilot himself (with her own pistol), but he lived, and she was briefly jailed. Her final years (she died at 69, though her literary production had dried up decades earlier) were marked by alcoholism and cirrhosis. From the time of the English engraver William Hogarth, who documented the “craze” of the early eighteenth century, gin has been associated with dissolution and social decay.
Bombal Questions
- Like other texts we have read (Proust, Aragon), this too is not exactly a linear narrative. How would you describe its structure?
- What is the effect of having this book narrated by a character who is dead?
- What might be meant by the notion that “death can also be an act of life” (249)?
- What does this book have to say about emotion (or affect)? Why does Ana Maria repeatedly feel she has to repress her desire?
- In Ana Maria’s account, her relationships with others have often been characterized by miscommunication or misunderstanding. What are the obstacles she or others encounter to saying what they mean or what they feel?
- How does patriarchy shape and affect the lives of the women in the story?
- How does patriarchy shape and affect the lives of the men?
- What is the role of social class and/or money in the novel?
- Do we see changes over time? Will Ana Maria’s daughter’s life be similar to her mother’s, or not?
- Is this a religious text? What is the role of religion here?
- What, if anything, does Ana Maria achieve in the space between her first and her “second” deaths?
The following questions are taken from your blog posts…
On Reading:
Did anyone also dislike reading the book? And why?
Would you approach this text again at a different angle, knowing what it has seemed to teach you and hoping to learn more?
Did this reading make you think of a specific someone in your life? Someone you would think deeply of if you were a conscious corpse awaiting your approaching loved ones, one by one?
How would you feel within Ana’s shoes?
Did this novel make you reflect on your past thus far and think of what moments stand out to you?
What was your favourite piece of imagery in the text? What stood out to you in the most?
Which sections/memories stood out to you the most?
Did anyone feel sad throughout the reading as I did? Or, in the case that did not happened, did you feel any specific emotions reading this book?
Do you think Ana María’s character regrets anything? What was her biggest regret?
What is your favourite quote and why, or what is your take on the quotes I have shared?
Did you enjoy the style of writing in this book or would you have preferred something different? If so, What would you have preferred?
Were you also confused by the narrator (Ana Maria) being dead and all of her supernatural abilities, or were you able to follow the book easier than I was?
How do you view this text? Do you read it through an optimistic or pessimistic lens and why?
Did you enjoy reading from the female perspective over the male perspective of past weeks readings?
Is Ana Maria unbiased? How could the narrative change if it was told from multiple perspectives?
The Narrator
Do you think Ana Maria’s narration of her life events is reliable?
What would this particular story or narrative look like from a completely unbiased, third-party narrator? Is it even possible to tell a story from an unbiased perspective?
My question for my classmates is, what do you think the impact of having a dead narrator is?
Why do you think Bombal took the approach of a deceased main character as the narrator of her story?
What is the significance of having the narrator already be dead, rather than, say, dying? Why does the perspective sometimes shift between first and third person?
How different do you think Ana Maria’s thoughts about her life would be if this was set in a different moment (ex = when she’s on the verge of dying)?
How did Ana Maria’s perspective and point of view from beyond the grave impact your overall reading of the text? How would it be different if it was simply a reflection on life, a description of the events as they happened rather than a reflection on the past?
Do you think if the narrator’s perspective wasn’t from a dead woman that the book’s themes and lessons it gave us from reading it would change/lose their significance?
How do you think the thoughts expressed would change (or if they would at all) if Ana-Maria was writing as a living person? Because after all, books are written to be read, right?
How did you feel about Ana Maria telling her story as a dead person reliving her memories?
Did being dead give her an overall sense of truth or did it only give her clarity regarding her truth only?
How do you think Ana Maria’s story would be different if it were to be told in the present tense, or rather, if she were not dead? Would it gain more or less meaning?
Why do you think Bombal decided to tell this story from the perspective of a dead woman?
How reliable of a narrator do you find Ana Maria to be?
Seeing as most of the book is on her memory, how reliable is Ana María as her own narrator and how would her biases affect the memories recounted?
Narrative Structure
How does the alternating narrative perspective deepen our understanding of Ana María’s emotional journey, and what implications does it hold for our interpretation of the story?
How did Bombal’s structure help or hurt the narrative?
Did any dialogues stand out to you? If so, which one?was all of this repetition intentional, or maybe just that there are certain words that Bombal was drawn to?
Do you think that her repetition of the words “remember” and “come” was purposeful? If so, what do you think she wanted to highlight or succeed in with this repeated use?
Did you find a personal connection with Ana Maria’s journey through her past? How might the narrative of ‘The Shrouded Woman’ differ if written from a woman’s perspective by a male author? Would the portrayal of the protagonist’s experiences and emotions have been affected, and in what ways?
How does María Luisa Bombal use magic realism to enhance the storytelling in “The Shrouded Woman,” and what impact does this narrative technique have on the reader’s experience?
How did you perceive the switching of narratives between Ana Maria’s first-person perspective and third-person perspective? Did it enhance or challenge your understanding of the story?
What literary device would you say Bombal uses the most to connect with the reader? And in what ways do some of these allow us to relate her main themes to today’s society?
On Nature:
Does the changing role of nature follow Ana María’s development in the story or are the two elements unrelated?
On the Conclusion:
What are your thoughts on this particular line that comes from the ending paragraph of the book- “Alone, she would at last be able to rest, to die. For she had suffered the death of the living.”
The death mentioned again at the end of the novel intrigued me a lot, how do you interpret this “second death”, again what does the heroine’s first death signify?
What do you think she meant by “the death of the living”? And what did she mean by “the second death”?
How do you interpret the terms “death of the living” and “death of the dead”?
On Gender:
Why do you think that the main character was a woman? Because of the time in history that this was written it seems far more unusual for a whole novel to be about a woman’s life instead of a man’s, so it makes me curious as to why it was that Ana Maria would be a woman rather than a man. Do you think it was chosen randomly or do you think there is a reason, and of so why?
Since this is the first female author we’ve read so far, did you notice any differences in comparison to our last reads? Or do you think there was a purpose to make the main character a female?
How did gender become a means to decide societal and social norms?
Why does the narrator choose the temporal context of the time between life and death to discuss topics of gender and recollection?
How have perspectives on gender changed through time, and what are the challenges facing us about this issue?
What parts of the novel and the characters did you find yourself relating to if you identify as a woman, and what parts did you find completely inaccurate to your experience? For the men, how do you feel about the portrayal of men in this novel, do you agree or have you seen other men reflect any of the behaviours of the men in the story?
How do the constraints and desires with which Ana Maria deals with throughout the book compare to the non-fictitious world with which women live? How does Maria Luisa Bombal represent women and femininity in her writing?
The author’s understanding of the female perspective is clear here, but what of the male perspective? I found it that the author had some extremely profound bits of reflection on the male psyche and its place in this scenario. Would you agree?
‘The Shrouded Woman’ uses death as a lens to re-examine the protagonist’s life, highlighting how societal norms shape and confine the experiences and identities of women. How does this perspective challenge our contemporary understanding of female autonomy and identity?
How does Ricardo leaving impact Ana Maria’s character reflection and how does it show the challenges and possibilities of finding love in the mid 20th Century?
How does this story challenge the traditional gender roles, and societal stereotypes of its time period?
What are some other gender roles that are depicted in the novel that stood out to you?
How does this story challenge the traditional gender roles, and societal stereotypes of its time period?
How do the various relationships Ana María reflects upon from beyond the grave reveal the complexities and contradictions of her character and the societal expectations placed on women in her era?
On Death (and life):
What is the argument about death in the story and what does that have to say in its relation to life?
Did Ana Maria genuinely justify her own suicide by regarding it as a way of escape without any hesitation?
Is it truly peaceful for nothing to matter anymore?
Do you think it’s only possible to meaningfully reflect on your life and associated experiences after undergoing significant events, rock-bottom, or even death? What is your answer to the question “must we die in order to know certain things?” posed by Anna-Marie on page 176.
What did you think of the way life and death are handled in the novel?
Why so much about the topic of death, and the ways in which life mimics it? Was Bombal suicidal? Or did she just spend time wondering what she would remember about the people in her life if she was lying on her death bed?
If you were to look back on your memories the way Ana Maria did after death what do you think you would be drawn to reliving? How would your views change without the pettiness and grudges we sometimes hold onto our whole lives?
How would one’s perception of death be altered after reading this book?
Do we gain a new perspective on our lives in times close to death, from hindsight or reflection without others’ judgment, and what might be the nature of this knowledge?
Why do you think death may provide clarity to those still living?
Humans seek comfort in ‘seeing their life flash before their eyes’ and an afterlife, but in reality, death is when we will know the least of all. How do these characters seek comfort in their destructive actions and in the looming eyes of death?
What do you think life after death is really like? Is this story an accurate portrayal of what happens as we fade away?
Did any of you noticed a sense of loud vs quiet and chaotic vs still in the moments of reflection on her life vs moments when she is just in death?
One question I have is about the deaths of women in this novel. In addition to Ana’s death, the deaths of the two other women in the story are also tragic. Silvia and Inés, who also died by suicide, symbolize despair toward life. I wonder how the reflection on life would have been different if Ana had chosen suicide rather than dying of sickness. Would she have been more regretful about herself and Ricardo, or more proud of her bravery and autonomy?
what do you think the “second death” really means? What’s the difference from the “first death”? Is it supposed to mean something more significant beyond ascending from a corporal form?
What else do you think Bombal says about death? How does it make you feel or connect to the book?
How has reading “The Shrouded Women” influenced your own reflections on life and the way you prioritize your time? Do you find yourself reconsidering the significance of certain aspects in your life after experiencing Ana María’s journey as a deceased narrator?
How does Ana María’s unique position between life and death influence your understanding of her character and the story?
Do you feel like the novel would convey more or less of the same depth of emotion and introspection if it were narrated from a traditional, living perspective?
It is impossible to tell your life story after death, but if you had the chance to recap your life after death, what would you include in your story?
Is dying something you fear? For me I have always welcomed the idea of dying, and this book only solidified that feeling for me. Did this book strike fear in you?
How do you think Maria would have lived her life if she had been raised in the 21st century?
On Relationships & love:
My question to you is which relationships in your life do you hold dearest? Who would you have to approach in death to be able to finally rest?
Would you get married to someone you don’t love or who doesn’t love you?
How did you perceive Ana Maria’s relationship with Fernando? Do you think the love was reciprocal?
Why do you think Antonio transformed so much after Ana Maria left to go home?
Why do you think that Ana María’s perspective on her relationship with Ricardo has changed now that she is dead and looking back on her past?
If you were in Ricardo’s position, would you also choose your career/future over your lover? Do you think Ricardo’s choice of picking his career over Ana-Maria meant that he didn’t truly love her?
Do you think Ana Maria’s recollections of some mistakes she made with her relationships (particularly with Fernando) alludes to her regrets or her making peace with it?
Do you agree with the lengths and sacrifices Ana went through for love?
Can one ever be happy in a relationship where they have to change who they are to receive love? Or will it end in misery every time?
Did you relate to the relationship issues that were brought up in the novel, and if so, do you think these themes are universal? If you don’t have experience with relationships or if you don’t relate to romance, how did you feel about identity being so tied to romantic/non-romantic relationships?
Did you find yourself reflecting on your own relationships and/or on your own life while reading Bombal’s The Shrouded Woman?
How would you remember your loved ones if you were in Ana Maria’s position?
Which relationship did you most relate to?
Is it that all those who were born to love acted like she did, hiding, minute by minute, what was most vital inside one’s self?
If Ana Maria ended up with the one she loved, do you think she would have enjoyed marriage?
How does Ana Maria maintain to be drawn to such negative connotations of love? Why does she desire for the life she is constantly attracted to, to be one of suffering?
On Society (then and now):
Do you believe that in today’s society, there is just as much emphasis placed on the value of beauty? Are men and women today put through different standards than they were at the time this book was written?
What will you choose in today’s society? What would you like to put in the first place? The feelings that we have inside always so lonely?
What are your opinions on the interplay between one’s own self and agency and the physical and social contexts they exist in?
My question for you is if you are gifted with such beauty as that of Marie Griselda, would you enjoy the attention or find it to be a sickness?
What similarities do you think exist between the experiences of women in modern society and Ana María’s journey?
Characters
Which character did you find the most interesting/appealing and why? [Ana María, Ricardo, Antonio, Fernando, Alberto, María Griselda, Fred, Silvia, Anita, Sofía, Alicia or Luis]
Another character that piqued my interest was Maria Griselda. I ended up feeling bad for her, so my question for this post is what are your feelings toward the beauty? Should we feel bad for her because of how beautiful she is?
Do we, as readers really feel that Maria Griselda’s ethereal beauty was proving to be a little disruptive for the other family members? If so, what do we think beauty really is and should we just like the other person because of their attractive outer appearances?
What roles do religion and gender play in depicting the miseries of male and female characters in “The Shrouded Woman?”
On Ethics etc.:
I found myself questioning whether or not I would take a step that could be seen as ethically wrong, but for the right cause? Would you?
Are emotions a good “reason to be”? If so, is hatred a bad one?
On “terrestrial anxieties”:
Do you have any “terrestrial anxieties”? Where do your “terrestrial anxieties” come from? How do you think you can free yourself from them?
Despite Ana Maria claiming to have made peace with her life and moved on, which part of her life do you think she would have wanted to go back to the most to change the outcome?
Other
Do you think the things that Alberto’s mom said were valid, or do you think she could have gone about it differently?
What other ways do you think religion played in this book?
Do you believe that Ana María was ever in love at one point in the novel or was she always in pursuit of maintaining social respectability politics?
Did you find any double meanings within the story? Do you believe that life is where we suffer, or is it when we die?
Do we think the author, Bombal, believes in an afterlife and if so of what nature?
Do you believe in souls?
A question I have is when you die, would you rather live through all your memories or just forget everything?
If Ana Maria ended up with the one she loved, do you think she would have enjoyed marraige?
Do we, as readers really feel that Maria Griselda’s ethereal beauty was proving to be a little disruptive for the other family members? If so, what do we think beauty really is and should we just like the other person because of their attractive outer appearances?
How different do you think Ana Maria’s thoughts about her life would be if this was set in a different moment (ex = when she’s on the verge of dying)?
Do you think that possessing the supernatural beauty described in these books would be a blessing or a curse?
At the funeral, we are supposedly seeing the first time that Antonio, Ana Maria’s husband crying. Due to their strange relationship, even Ana Maria herself debates the reason that he is crying. Do you think he is crying to grieve her death and is it because he has lost something else like Ana Maria hypothesizes?
Were there any quotes that resonated with you or you found important while you were reading?
If you had a chance to review your life on your death bed, would you think more about the regrets or the joyful moments?
Do you have any regrets in your life? If you were to reflect on your life the way Ana Maria does, is there anything you would change? Why or Why not?
If you get the chance to review your life after you have passed, how important is love?
If you died and was in a ghost-like state, who do you think would visit you first and why?
Do you think it is a choice to be brave or to be a coward and do you agree with the authors way of dividing this in terms of belonging to either a man or woman? And on another note I wonder if anyone else noticed how flawed each of Ana Maria’s children’s love lives were. Do you think that their love lives were a result of learning from their parents?
Which character in the novel stood out to you the most and why was it Maria Griselda? Just kidding please let me know who it is and why.
