Part one of Combray was really engaging and got me really invested in the mind and history of the protagonist. His descriptions and explanations of what goes on during the sleep process are very spot on, and I can relate with some of them for sure. I always find myself reminiscing over the past, and […]
Before I start with my thoughts on Marcel Proust’s Combray, I want to say that I only read part 1 and thus all my thoughts are regarding that part only. I mention this as my thoughts could be different if I read part 2. Having said that, I enjoyed the part at the start […]
Hello everyone. This blog entry is dedicated to Proust, Cambray part 1. I found this text hard, not extremely hard,…
Posted in Blogs, Proust | Tagged with BlogEntry, Cambray, FirstReading, Part1
Upon completing the “Combray” section of Proust’s groundbreaking story “In Search of Lost Time” I am struck with a feeling I would assume many modernist writings would have reveled, namely, the fact that Proust’s work elicits a feeling of both familiarity and confusion, an almost paradoxical joy and unease that in a way represent the […]
The major themes surrounding Part 1 in Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust have many applications in our daily lives. For instance, memory and re-visiting earlier happier and even sad memories predominate Combray. From the narrator’s memories of his inability to sleep without his mother’s kisses to his attempt to understand the adult’s conversation and even …
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this reading was the tone that the narrator told the story in. Proust used expressive and complex language. He uses involuntary memory as a method to capture his readers attention. It was interesting to see his opinions and beliefs play out within the characters of his story.
This week’s reading was interesting, however, I felt as though I did not understand some of the themes and only recognized a few constants. I found difficulty in following the plot as it did not seem there was much guidance for the readers.
One interesting theme was the way Proust described the setting of the story, specifically the church. It was very obvious that Proust adores the architecture of the church he imagined. He was fascinated with churches throughout France and Italy as depicted in his writings.
A very prominent theme in the novel was Marcel’s relationship with his mother and the effect that has on him. Marcel has anxiety surrounding his relationship with his mother as she seems to emotionally distress her son (also a little Oedipus seeming). Not only were there tensions between him and his mother, Marcel had a very manipulative relationship with his father (This poor guy cannot catch a break). There is a lot of exploration surrounding the theme of familial relationships and the impacts that they have on people.
Another theme that stuck out to me was that of escaping reality through literature. Marcel reads so much that his fantasy world begins to feel more real to him than the outside world in which he lives. He cannot leave his fantasy world as it protects him from his experiences in the real world. Marcel observes people from the outside and learns behaviours that way. In turn, this does not help him accurately gauge behaviour of people. He is able to fantasize about women and create imagined and idealized versions of them for his writings. This feels a bit gross to read considering Marcel places a lot of a woman’s worth on her appearance and will romanticize them until he deems them attractive.
Marcel’s imaginary women are very harmful to the way women are perceived by readers. Throughout history women were valued based on their appearance and Marcel only repeats this. Women written by men are often objectified and used only to advance the growth of a male lead.
Overall, I did not enjoy this reading that much but I am excited for future readings. I struggled while reading it but felt as though I was able to grasp a few main themes.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this reading was the tone that the narrator told the story in. Proust used expressive and complex language. He uses involuntary memory as a method to capture his readers attention. It was interesting to see his opinions and beliefs play out within the characters of his story.
This week’s reading was interesting, however, I felt as though I did not understand some of the themes and only recognized a few constants. I found difficulty in following the plot as it did not seem there was much guidance for the readers.
One interesting theme was the way Proust described the setting of the story, specifically the church. It was very obvious that Proust adores the architecture of the church he imagined. He was fascinated with churches throughout France and Italy as depicted in his writings.
A very prominent theme in the novel was Marcel’s relationship with his mother and the effect that has on him. Marcel has anxiety surrounding his relationship with his mother as she seems to emotionally distress her son (also a little Oedipus seeming). Not only were there tensions between him and his mother, Marcel had a very manipulative relationship with his father (This poor guy cannot catch a break). There is a lot of exploration surrounding the theme of familial relationships and the impacts that they have on people.
Another theme that stuck out to me was that of escaping reality through literature. Marcel reads so much that his fantasy world begins to feel more real to him than the outside world in which he lives. He cannot leave his fantasy world as it protects him from his experiences in the real world. Marcel observes people from the outside and learns behaviours that way. In turn, this does not help him accurately gauge behaviour of people. He is able to fantasize about women and create imagined and idealized versions of them for his writings. This feels a bit gross to read considering Marcel places a lot of a woman’s worth on her appearance and will romanticize them until he deems them attractive.
Marcel’s imaginary women are very harmful to the way women are perceived by readers. Throughout history women were valued based on their appearance and Marcel only repeats this. Women written by men are often objectified and used only to advance the growth of a male lead.
Overall, I did not enjoy this reading that much but I am excited for future readings. I struggled while reading it but felt as though I was able to grasp a few main themes.
The first thing that came to mind when I read Proust’s ‘Combray’ was a sense of nostalgia. I grew up reading a lot of classics, especially from Victorian England writers and the language that the English translation of ‘Combray’ uses is very familiar to some of that used in those books I used to read. […]
Posted in Blogs, Proust | Tagged with narrative, reflections
After reading the first part of Swann’s Way, I have mixed feelings. I unfortunately found it more difficult to read than I had expected. It wasn’t the hardest text i’ve ever read, but I definitely found myself having to re-read sentences and even whole pages. The author uses extremely long sentences, as well as extensive imagery at which some points I had a hard time picking up on. I guess this just proves I need to spend more time with a book in my hand! Despite being a challenging read, I did enjoy the content of the novel. I believe in the first few pages of the book, the author is going in and out of sleep, and describes the dreams and memories that return to him while in this state. Marcel seems to cling to memories of his childhood, specifically his life in Combray. He speaks about family experiences, and the emotions he felt during those times.
One particular aspect of the novel really stood out to me, is the attachment Marcel has to his mother as a child. Throughout the novel, he refers to all of his family as “grandfather, grandmother, father” etc, while referring to his mother as “Mama”. This already proving the bond he had with her. Marcel speaks emotionally about how the only thing that would bring him comfort before bed, was a goodnight kiss from his mother. He would look forward to this soft moment with her so much that the thought of her returning downstairs afterward would fill him with sadness. He would even dread days when their family had company over because that meant his mother would not even bother to come upstairs to kiss him goodnight. On page 23, Marcel even expresses that Swann’s company brought him pain because of this. Though Marcel’s mother thought sharing this tender moment with her son was important, his father thought otherwise, suggesting it would inhibit him from being tough and independent. This result in resentment towards his father.
I think this really stood out to me because I find it somewhat relatable. When I was a young child I used to sleep in my mothers room because i was absolutely terrified of the dark. Some nights she would leave me in her room to watch TV in the living room. As silly as it sounds, I would be so scared sitting in the dark alone, that I used to count every single second until she would come back to check on me. When she finally would, i would be overwhelmed with a sense of comfort. That being said, to some degree I could truly feel the emotion that Marcel would when his mother came to his room for a kiss.
My question for the class: Do you think the affection a mother shares with her child would cause them to later lack initiative, individuality or confidence?
After reading the first part of Swann’s Way, I have mixed feelings. I unfortunately found it more difficult to read than I had expected. It wasn’t the hardest text i’ve ever read, but I definitely found myself having to re-read sentences and even whole pages. The author uses extremely long sentences, as well as extensive imagery at which some points I had a hard time picking up on. I guess this just proves I need to spend more time with a book in my hand! Despite being a challenging read, I did enjoy the content of the novel. I believe in the first few pages of the book, the author is going in and out of sleep, and describes the dreams and memories that return to him while in this state. Marcel seems to cling to memories of his childhood, specifically his life in Combray. He speaks about family experiences, and the emotions he felt during those times.
One particular aspect of the novel really stood out to me, is the attachment Marcel has to his mother as a child. Throughout the novel, he refers to all of his family as “grandfather, grandmother, father” etc, while referring to his mother as “Mama”. This already proving the bond he had with her. Marcel speaks emotionally about how the only thing that would bring him comfort before bed, was a goodnight kiss from his mother. He would look forward to this soft moment with her so much that the thought of her returning downstairs afterward would fill him with sadness. He would even dread days when their family had company over because that meant his mother would not even bother to come upstairs to kiss him goodnight. On page 23, Marcel even expresses that Swann’s company brought him pain because of this. Though Marcel’s mother thought sharing this tender moment with her son was important, his father thought otherwise, suggesting it would inhibit him from being tough and independent. This result in resentment towards his father.
I think this really stood out to me because I find it somewhat relatable. When I was a young child I used to sleep in my mothers room because i was absolutely terrified of the dark. Some nights she would leave me in her room to watch TV in the living room. As silly as it sounds, I would be so scared sitting in the dark alone, that I used to count every single second until she would come back to check on me. When she finally would, i would be overwhelmed with a sense of comfort. That being said, to some degree I could truly feel the emotion that Marcel would when his mother came to his room for a kiss.
My question for the class: Do you think the affection a mother shares with her child would cause them to later lack initiative, individuality or confidence?
