Mercè Rodoreda i Gurguí (10 October 1908 – 13 April 1983) was a Spanish novelist, who wrote in Catalan. She is considered the most influential contemporary Catalan language writer as evidenced by the references of other authors in her work and the international repercussion, with translations into more than thirty languages. She also has been called the most important Catalan female novelist of the postwar period. Her novel La plaça del diamant (“The diamond square,” translated as The Time of the Doves, 1962) has become the most popular Catalan novel to date and has been translated into over 30 languages. Some critics consider it to be one of the best novels published in Spain after the Spanish Civil War. (Wikipedia)
Rodoreda on Destitution and Bricolage
The challenge is to try to stitch things up, paper over the cracks, create new attachments or conjunctions of people and objects in a bricolage that is no longer indebted to myths of organic harmony or natural inclination.
- Rodoreda, Mercè. The Time of the Doves. Trans. David Rosenthal. Minneapolis: New Graywolf, 1981
On Mercè Rodoreda
Rodoreda Videos
Barcelona, Spain – Gràcia District Walk Tour [Plaça del Diamant at 4:39]:
La plaza del Diamante:
“Every Sunday,” Natalia says of her life with Quimet before the war breaks out, “we went to the Monumental to have a vermouth and some baby octopuses” (37). Though vermouth—a fortified wine flavoured with botanicals—is most associated with Italy, particularly Turin, it is also very popular in Catalonia, where it is often housemade and on tap, served over ice with a slice of orange or lemon and accompanied by snacks. “Fer un vermut” (to do a vermouth) is to meet up with friends at a bar in the early afternoon (“l’hora del vermut”). Drinking vermouth signals sociability: being out with and among others. The last time the drink is mentioned in the novel, it is at Natalia and Quimet’s wedding, as if this were the turning point for Natalia’s increasing social isolation. As the event winds down, she “wishe[s] it was the day before so we could start all over again, it was so lovely. . . .” (43). This is the dream of an eternal return, of history cancelled.
- Agamben, Giorgio. Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Trans. Daniel HellerRoazen. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998.
- Euripides. Medea. Trans. Michael Collier and Georgia Machemer. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2006.
Rodoreda Questions
- How does this book compare with Laforet’s Nada? Does it give us a different view on Barcelona, or on the civil war?
- What do we make of the three different titles that Rodoreda’s novel has received in its English translations (UK: The Pigeon Girl, and then In Diamond Square, US: The Time of the Doves)? Now that we’ve read the story, is one more fitting than another? Why or why not?
- To what extent is Natalia an agent of her own destiny, and to what extent is she passive and/or a victim of circumstance?
- There are several different portrayals of family life in the novel–for instance, Natalia and Quimet, plus their children (and the pigeons); their relations with their parents and in-laws; the bourgeois family for whom Natalia works; and Natalia’s second marriage. How do these different families compare or differ from each other?
- What do you think of the strange picture owned by Senyora Enriqueta, of lobsters (or perhaps locusts) with crowns and human faces? Why does it seem to fascinate the children so?
- How and when does something–here, perhaps above all, the doves/pigeons–become a symbol? What would it mean to call the birds “symbolic”?
- In the novel, does space have a particular significance for the protagonist? What is the importance of space in general, and of public and domestic spaces and places in particular, in The Time of the Doves?
- What do you think of the novel’s final word, “happy,” and the ellipsis (“…”) that follows? What does “happy” mean here?
- This is a book about war, but from a woman’s perspective. What might it say about the gendering of war and perhaps also politics?
- We are reading this book in the context of urban warfare once again plaguing major European cities, now in Ukraine. How does this shape our reading? What might this book have to say to us as we think about other conflicts?
The following questions are taken from your blog posts…
Natalia:
Have you noticed a turning point in Natalia’s life that started to change? Did these turning points bring about a change in Natalia’s writing (narration?) style?
Natalia’s life can be characterized as a “continuous effort to carry on”. Knowing this, do you think Natalia is truly happy by the ending of the story? Can Natalia ever become happy again, despite everything she has gone through?
What do you think of Natalia’s relationship with her children? Do you think she was a good parent?
Could Natalia have changed her circumstances at any point after marrying Quimet or was it out of her control by then?
Do you understand Natalia, or do you find her actions incomprehensible?
Did you relate or sympathize with Natalia?
How did you feel about Natalia at the end of the book? Were you happy for her that she made it out of that very dark place? Or was your perception of her also ruined by that point, like mine was?
Natalia has a sad and pitiful life where she cannot walk out of the dark. In your opinion, whose fault is this, is it Quinet, the war, the doves, or her own choice of marrying Quinet?
Did Natalia’s parents’ relationship have any impact on how Natalia chose her husband and marriage? Especially with Quimet, as it seemed like she was brought up in a house of fighting or cold silence. Also, Natalia’s father remarried, which made her feel like she had nothing to hold onto. Did she seek male validation and attention from her romantic relationships instead?
Do you think Natalia’s parent’s marriage was the cause of her tragic love life and image of love?
How does Natalia’s character change from the beginning of the story to the end, and what events contribute to this change?
Would Natalia’s character growth be different if she was not a mother?
Do you think if Natalia was unable to get a job from Antonio she would have been able to go through with her plans of killing herself and her Children?
Do you think that Natalia also saw Quimet as controlling and erratic at times or did she have a skewed image of him
Personally, in Natalia’s circumstances and the way the novel was written, I was able to understand why she nearly made the decision she did, but do you think it had a logical foundation?
Do you think her second marriage with the grocer left her fufilled, or is more of an agreement of platonic love?
Do you think Natalia’s life would have turned out different if she married Pere or someone rather than Quimet, regardless of the war?
What are some moments in the novel that are important to Natalia’s character development? Why?
How do you think the Spanish Civil War amplified the effects of patriarchy on Natalia’s life, particularly in her interactions with Quimet and her role within her family and society? how was the war’s chaos exacerbate existing patriarchal constraints and shape her path to resilience?
What do you think of how Natalia handled her struggles in the novel? Did you think how she dealt with problems with Quimet, her kids, and the war was clever or unintelligent?
What do you think of the ending of the book and Natalia’s view of her life and the apparent shift in her feelings? did you find it to be more of a melancholy or a happy ending?
What are some moments in the novel that stood out to you that contributed to Natalia’s character development?
Can Natalia really be happy after everything she has been through?
How did you react when Natalia thinks about killing her children? Where do you think this was coming from?
Do you think Natalia’s story would be different if she had a mother figure in her life or if her father was more vocal and present? Would she hold more agency?
Do you see any warning signs for Natalia at the beginning of the story? What are other correlations to the characters or events you can connect to doves?
Do you agree that Natalia was going through the five stages of grief after Quimet had died?
Quimet:
Did you like Quimet and Natalia’s relationship?
Why do you think that she picked Quimet over Pere? Was it to do with money or was she just vulnerable to his manipulation?
Do you think the choice of breaking off the engagement with Pere was the right choice just to marry Quimet?
Do you believe Natalia would have been happy if she had stayed with Pere, or was Quiemet a matter of fate?
How do you think Natalia’s life would have differed if she never ran off with Quimet?
What would you say to Quimet if you had the opportunity to tell him off? Would you insult him? What would you call him? Why?
Should Natalia have taken it upon herself to remove herself sooner from her relationship with Quimet?
Do you think Natalias life would’ve been easier/better if she hadn’t chosen to be with Quimet? Or do you think she would’ve experienced such hard times no matter who she chose?
Do you think Natalia truly loved Quimet and vice versa?
Did Natalia really make a mistake by breaking up her engagement with Pere to marry Quimet? If so, why or why not?
What was your genuine impression of Quimet? Did you like him or dislike him? Did your feelings for him change?
What was your view on Quimet and Natalia’s marital relationship?
Do you think that the narrative of love between Natalia and Quimet was indeed love? Or was it dependency? Or better yet, is it something else? What the heck, what even was that?
Do you think Quimet and Natalia’s relationship changed from when they were first dating to when they got married?
At the end I still wanted to know who is Maria to Quimet?
Do you think Natalia genuinely likes or even loves Quimet?
Do you think Quimet was using loving bombing as a way to manipulate Natalia to fall for him?
What do you think of Natalia’s relationship with Quimet?
Do you believe Quimet was abusive? Why or why not?
Do you guys think Quimet actually suffered of tuberculosis or was he lying about that like he lied about his “leg pain”?
Considering the societal norms and pressures Natalia faced in ‘The Time of Doves,’ do you believe her endurance of Quimet’s abuse reflects weakness or strength?
What did you guys think of Quimet? Was he a good husband to Natalia?
Other Relationships:
Had Natalia continued her relationship with Pere, where would she have ended up at the end of the narrative?
Do you think Natalia’s life would develop towards a positive or negative direction with Antoni, and why?
Do you think Natalia actually loves Antoni or is she only with him for other reasons, like financial stability, food, and shelter?
What do you think a normal relationship looks like? Have you ever heard the term “PUA” before?
How do you think the experience of love and loss during times of social upheaval, such as in Natàlia’s story, shapes an individual’s capacity for resilience? Is it possible to mourn properly?
What do you think was the purpose of the character of Quimet’s mother for the text? In what ways do you think Antoni and Rita perhaps emphasize the dynamic of Quimet and Natalia?
Other Characters:
What did you think about Senyora Enriqueta? I thought it was interesting how first she said Quimet was better than Pere but later she advised Natalia to be wary of him.
What do you think happened with Julieta? I was surprised when she popped up again but she disappeared again!
Did you also hate Toni a little bit when he was a child?
Do you think characters like Quimet or Antoni can redeem themselves for past wrongs? Were you able to resonate with the novel at all?
Who do you think was Maria and why would Quimet mention her from time to time?
Mothers:
My question for discussion today is about Nat and her kids – would you do anything different than Nat? Would you send Toni away to camp or even plan to do what Nat would do with the acid? What lengths would you go to protect your children?
If you were in Natalia’s shoes (think: deceased spouse with children to take care of in times of a crisis), would you do the same thing as she did and send your children away to a refugee camp? Or would you not be able to separate yourself from your children?
Maternal filicide:
Did you think Natalia is right for considering killing her children, given the circumstances?
Do you think if you were Natalia, the thought of killing your children would have crossed your mind?
Do you agree with Natalia’s idea of trying to kill her children? Do you think there was another way to solve her problem?
What would you have done similarly or differently in Natalia’s position. What would you have done to survive in such dire circumstances?
Do you think that Natalia’s decision to kill herself and her family was brave/strong or cowardly/inhumane? And do you agree that Natalia’s decision may not have been so reckless if it were not for the war surrounding her? Or can we see through her other actions that she may have regardless made the same choice?
Were you surprised when Natalia had a plan to kill her own children and herself? Did you think her plan was too extreme or did it make sense due to her challenging situation? What would you have chosen to do?
Do you think it was the correct decision to kill her children and if she would have actually done it?
Would you have done the same thing if you were a mother in despair, without looking back at the grocer?When Natalia feels like there is no other option, she devises a plan to murder her children and then herself, but she is eventually given a job saving her family from starvation and her plan is no longer needed. Did the fact that tried to go through with this plan change your opinion of her? Or did you already have a negative opinion of her before this point?
How did you react when you read about Natalia thinking of killing her children?
Doves:
This novel is just like its title, doves are everywhere in the story. What do you think these doves mean in Natalia’s mind? Similarly, why does Rodoreda use the doves as a symbol?
I wonder what else the doves could have symbolized? And what was the author’s intention with them?
How might the symbolism of pigeons, rather than doves, change our understanding of Natalia’s yearning for freedom, given that the Catalan term ‘colom’ encompasses both doves and pigeons? Considering the societal perceptions and cultural associations surrounding both birds, how might this reinterpretation affect our understanding of Natalia’s struggle for liberation?
Do you think there is an intended relation between Natalia killing the dove eggs and planning to end her children’s lives?
Doves are a recurrent theme in this book. I have personally noted what I believe is what they are represented for, but what does everyone else think? What do you believe the doves are symbolic of?
How do pigeons symbolize both freedom and entrapment for Natàlia in the book?
Symbolism:
Do you think think ‘Maria’ represents/symbolizes anything? Is there a reason why Quimet kept mentioning ‘Maria’?
What do you think the significance of “poor maria” (pg.24) and any other time Maria was said?
Did you notice any other uses of holes as a metaphor in the book?
Why do you think colour (especially blue) was brought up so much? Coincidence or meaning?
What did the doves symbolize/represent to you, if anything at all? If not so much symbolic, what general significance did they have?
What other symbolism did you notice throughout the book?
How did you view the symbolism of the doves throughout the novel, and did anybody connect it to any political aspects?
What do you think the scene at the church represents?
Tragedy and Trauma:
Do you believe that the story could be considered a tragedy? Or is it a case of a woman trying to control a situation that is out of her control?
Could this story be told without the backdrop of the war, or is it a necessary part of the story?
How would you compare Natalia’s life before the war to that after the war? Did you feel she had significantly more agency before the war as compared to it? What are your thoughts on the conditions of war and what led to Natalia’s decision with the acid?
How would’ve Natalia’s life, and other victims of the war for that matter, been different if mental health awareness and resources were more prominent?
Other:
I’m interested to know what you think of Rodoreda’s use of the protagonist’s life experiences to make general observations about society shifts. What do you think the novel’s interplay between the political and the personal reveals about the individuals and their surroundings, and how does it do so?
Were there any moments, quotes, or parts of the text that you connected to emotionally or that struck you?
What do you think an ideal relationship should look like?
Which section was the most impactful to you?
Were you able to find any happy moments in the novel that made you smile and if so what were they?
Do you think it is necessary to put situational factors when we judge people’s morality and ethics of their actions?
Do you think this book is feminist fiction?
Are there defined lines for which no parent is allowed to cross, or are there grey areas where it can be argued that something considered amoral is the right thing to do?
When reading this kind of books, do you put yourself in the eyes of the protagonist? Or do you try to remain a witness?
What do you think is the relevance of the title of this book?
If there was a train heading down a track with 5 people on it, would you direct the train to a track with one person on it and kill that one person, or would you leave the track alone and let the 5 people die?
What shocked you the most when reading the book?
What are your feelings after reading this book?
If you did enjoy this book (as it appears the majority did), what made it so amazing? What is it that I am missing, this appealing aspect that I’ve seemed to have ignored?
Why do you think this book has two different titles? (Diamond Square or La Plaza del Diamante vs The Time of the Doves or Pigeon Girl)
Do you think this was the saddest story we have read by far? if yes why, and if no which one was it for you?
How does Rodoreda’s portrayal of Natalia challenge or reinforce traditional notions of femininity?
Do the translation differences of dove vs pigeon or space vs time in the title change the way you perceive the novel?
On the Narrator
What effect does it have on the reader when a narrator seldom expresses her inner life (as happens particularly in the first half or so of The Time of the Doves)?
I found Rodoreda’s writing style to be quite interesting and I’m curious as to why she chose this lyrical writing style to tell Natalie’s story. Did it contribute to the emotional impact of the novel?
Did you think Natalia was passive? What did you think of her as a narrator? Do you think her lack of individual thought speaks to a larger issue of gender?
Did you find Rodoreda’s artistic styles helpful in the ways that her characters were brought to life, or did the choices make the writing feel inaccessible?
Did you appreciate the narrative style, how we follow the flow of thought of Natalia, or do you prefer something we encountered in a previous book?
