“Everything flows towards the Pacific, no time for anything to sink, all is swept along by the deep and head-long storm of the inner current, suspended on the surface of the river’s strength” (Duras 22) To fully understand what is happening in this novel, one must observe the disturbing content embedded. The Lover is a […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with authenticity, coming of age, desire, Forbidden, identity, love, memory, taboo, war
“The Lover” left me in a state of perplexity long after I had finished reading the novel not because of its plot, but because of its power dynamics between Duras and her lover, the Chinese man. I find the title “The Lover” intriguing because it seems to me that Duras refuses to be identified as […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with class, gender, memories, narration, race
In this novel, I encountered a similarly intense sensation as with “Combray,” though it left me somewhat puzzled. It doesn’t follow a linear narrative; instead, it intertwines various times and spaces. For instance, in the first forty pages or so, it doesn’t progress the plot but delves into the scenery along the Mekong River. It […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with class, contrast, love, Relationship, women
Marguerite Duras’ novel, “The Lover,” is a unique literature that explores the themes of love, family, and colonialism. At first, I was confused about the story’s setting as there seemed to be a diverse array of ethnicities and there were some city names (such as Mekong, Cholon, and Saigon) that I had never heard of […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with age, family, love, memory, poverty, race, relationships, social class
I was mentally preparing myself to experience extreme discomfort while reading “The Lover”, but I wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought I would be. Of course, we shouldn’t dismiss the fact that this relationship was illegal, involving a minor, and disturbing at some parts, like when the girl is described as “his own child [that] […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with age, love, memory, race, relationships
Okay, I admit that the relationship is indeed poignant, and Duras does have a different flavor in taking this memory and writing a book about it. But the purity of the relationship is worth reconsidering; after all, the beginning of the protagonist’s relationship is based on the mutual benefits of money and beauty. Another thing […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with barrier, lover, race, Relationship
I keep forgetting to ask a question, so I am going to start with it this time: If you could title this work differently, what would you title it? Based on my own experience reading the novel I would title … Continue reading →
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with H.L., hate, Helen, lover, title
I was really excited about reading this book and finished it in one sitting. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It takes the number one spot for me dethroning The Time of Doves. The Lover, a novel about exploration of identity with a hint of coming-of-age, will stay with me for a while. Let’s address the elephant […]
Posted in Blogs, Duras | Tagged with COA, coming of age, Dysfunctional Family, family, Forbidden, France, identity, Indochina, Lolita, love, Marguerite Duras, melancholy, nostalgia, Personal Growth, poverty, The Lover, Vietnam
