This week’s reading was an interesting yet difficult book to read as it was more focused on the backgrounds of war, with similarities to George Orwell’s 1984 which I’ve read in the past. After finishing “The Trenchcoat,” I was left with a feeling of, “Well, that’s that.” nothing, no deep feelings of emotions—just a quiet […]
Posted in Blogs, Manea | Tagged with control, fear, war
Seemingly becoming a trend, I again feel very neutral about this book. When I finished reading, all I thought was “okay, I guess that’s it,” and not much else. I chose this book this week because I am interested in the Cold War and the Soviet Bloc countries during this time period. I think this […]
Posted in Blogs, Manea | Tagged with communism, control, fear, norman manea, surveillance, The Trenchcoat, trenchcoat
“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
At the very start of this book, I was so confused on what was happening. Then, when I got to the middle I was starting to get it, and then by the end, I was even more confused. The trench coat, the rain coat, the overcoat. I simply could not tell you w…
Posted in Blogs, Manea | Tagged with history, paranoia, politics
At the very start of this book, I was so confused on what was happening. Then, when I got to the middle I was starting to get it, and then by the end, I was even more confused. The trench coat, the rain coat, the overcoat. I simply could not tell you w…
Posted in Blogs, Manea | Tagged with history, paranoia, politics
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