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The first thing that struck me about the narrative, The Shrouded Woman was how different it was to the other two texts we have already read. There seemed to be an almost modern twist to the reflective theme that is brought out through the narrator’s voice. The novel being written in first person through the eyes of […] read full post >>

The first page pulled me in and made me curious to find out what the setting of the reading was.... read full post >>

As a whole, I really enjoyed reading The Shrouded Woman; it never seemed to drag on or feel intractable to read and the prose was really nice as well, with some great quotes and insights. It  aligned with my preconceptions of what was archetypally “Romance literature”, with some sense of foreignness (from a Canadian perspective) […] read full post >>

Compared to the last two weeks, I enjoyed the reading much more this week and I think that has to do with the fact that this is a short novel which follows more of the traditional way a story is told. This book compared to last week’s did have an actual story which made it […] read full post >>

Must we die in order to know certain things? Maria Luisa Bombal’s The Shrouded Woman, like Proust’s Combray, pertains to... read full post >>

I found “The Shrouded Woman” by Maria Luisa Bombal to be my favourite of the three texts we’ve read so far. Unlike the other novels, this one felt more like a story, with more structure and characters to tell it. It was more focused on life and relationships. It felt similar to a TV drama … Continue reading Week 4: Bombal’s “The Shrouded Woman” → read full post >>

I found that I really enjoyed reading The Shrouded Woman. The first few pages really set up the general gist of the narrative, which was a very interesting concept in my opinion. I thought that Bombal did a great job of engaging readers (or me at least; and sometimes I find it difficult to enjoy […] read full post >>

 Prout's "Combray" section was extremely interesting because of it's work in defining and analyzing temporal states and changes. "Combray" dig into this topic specifically in memory. Character's memories we're altered after large events took place, reshaping their past experiences as they drew them back up.

In The Shrouded Woman, Bombal experiments with these ideas as well, but rather, focuses on death as the ultimate "looking back" point (which it essentially is), and uses this sense of finality to address Ana Maria's life. In the end, Ana Maria is many things: a mother, a wife, a young lover and a paramour. The use of the finality of death to analyze these past relationships, and the love that they shared works similarly to 'Combray' in that it brings definition to a life.

An idea that springs from this is, why the obsession with defining and analyzing the past? One thought is this; in the present, reality is a blur--a confusing mix of emotion, cruelty, passion and thought. Every human has unanswered question in the present, but the past, this confusion is clarified, defined and now final--nothing can be changed (which is ironic, as looking back from the present to the past in essence changes how the memories and livelihood is perceived). In a sense, it is this confusion which is critical to the human condition. By reliving the past with a conclusion having been appended, the tyranny of the present is destroyed. This constant reminder of our mortal state has been recorded, filed and remembered, it's confusion and questions now relieved. 

This is why I believe Proust and Bombal used these themes and wrote in this way, analyzing the past and one's temporal state. The human need for order and clarity is great, and memories give use a god-like power to now control the confusion which once controlled us.

1. How would you remember your loved ones if you were in Ana Maria's position?

2. Which relationship did you most relate to?

read full post >>

 Prout's "Combray" section was extremely interesting because of it's work in defining and analyzing temporal states and changes. "Combray" dig into this topic specifically in memory. Character's memories we're altered after large events took place, reshaping their past experiences as they drew them back up.

In The Shrouded Woman, Bombal experiments with these ideas as well, but rather, focuses on death as the ultimate "looking back" point (which it essentially is), and uses this sense of finality to address Ana Maria's life. In the end, Ana Maria is many things: a mother, a wife, a young lover and a paramour. The use of the finality of death to analyze these past relationships, and the love that they shared works similarly to 'Combray' in that it brings definition to a life.

An idea that springs from this is, why the obsession with defining and analyzing the past? One thought is this; in the present, reality is a blur--a confusing mix of emotion, cruelty, passion and thought. Every human has unanswered question in the present, but the past, this confusion is clarified, defined and now final--nothing can be changed (which is ironic, as looking back from the present to the past in essence changes how the memories and livelihood is perceived). In a sense, it is this confusion which is critical to the human condition. By reliving the past with a conclusion having been appended, the tyranny of the present is destroyed. This constant reminder of our mortal state has been recorded, filed and remembered, it's confusion and questions now relieved. 

This is why I believe Proust and Bombal used these themes and wrote in this way, analyzing the past and one's temporal state. The human need for order and clarity is great, and memories give use a god-like power to now control the confusion which once controlled us.

1. How would you remember your loved ones if you were in Ana Maria's position?

2. Which relationship did you most relate to?

read full post >>

The Shrouded Woman was the first book (up until this point) that I enjoyed reading. I appreciated the female author, and I found it was easier for me to identify and empathize with the narrator, Ana Maria. I found it fascinating to read a story from the perspective of a dead person, as this is …

Continue reading "Blog Post 3: The Shrouded Woman"

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