Mercè Rodoreda’s novel is definitely one that leaves you feeling some type of way, only what way you can never be sure. After reading this narrative, I sat down and contemplated how I felt about it because my mind was blank and I couldn’t gage what I thought about it. Even now, as I write […]
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with literature, reflections
My initial reactions throughout the first two thirds of Mercé Rodoreda’s “The Time of the Doves” was one of a character whose agency is constantly in question. The novel is structured almost as though our protagonist Natalia is simply recounting the events of her life. As the narrator, she often describes events in her life […]
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with Acid, agency, Apathy, doves, war
I chose The Time of the Doves by Mercè Rodoreda for this week’s text. I found this book really interesting to read from Natalia’s perspective. I felt very sympathetic towards her because she was trapped in these circumstances with no way of escapi…
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with class, family, relationships, war
I chose The Time of the Doves by Mercè Rodoreda for this week’s text. I found this book really interesting to read from Natalia’s perspective. I felt very sympathetic towards her because she was trapped in these circumstances with no way of escapi…
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with class, family, relationships, war
The time of doves, or as I read it La plaza del diamante. I had the opportunity to read this book in spanish which is my native language, and i have to say that it was a better experience than reading books in english, which even though, I understand perfectly being able to read the […]
The Time of the Doves by Mercè Rodoreda is a captivating story with a unique protagonist. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about Natalia, the narrator. My emotions swung from sympathy to shock to frustration while reading about her. However, as the book progressed, her character developed as she learned to adapt to her circumstances. Oddly enough, this made me enjoy the book even more. It was interesting to see how she navigated life in a begrudging marriage and during a war.
I found the dynamic that Rodoreda created between Natalia and Quimet symbolic of the traditional ‘submissive woman/dominating man’ dynamic. Quimet was a controlling man who more or less declared that Natalia would be his wife after one encounter in the town square. Additionally, he finds ways to measure up the pain that she has felt with himself to prove that she cannot outdo him in any way. This was evident when he compared having a tapeworm to childbirth, claiming that they had been through a similar level of pain now.
What is noteworthy during their interaction is his nickname for her, Colometa, which means dove. Throughout the book, we see Quimet’s obsession with doves through collecting and breeding them in their house. I find this to be symbolic of how he views his relationship with Natalia as well, his so-called dove. He views her as his property, something he can collect and control.
Thus, Natalia’s hatred for the doves is a powerful indication of her rebellion against him and his behavior. When she receives news of Quimet’s death, the last dove also dies, marking the end of their relationship too.
Additionally, it is also important to note how the author has described the effects of war on an average civilian. Natalia never goes too in-depth about the war and who is fighting; this could indicate how she does not care for the politics of the war. All she focused on was her children and keeping them alive. It was devastating to read about her consideration of killing her and her children so that they would die of their own will and not because of the effects of the war.
Overall, I found this book to be a fascinating read, despite the certain level of predictability it possessed. My question for everyone else would be: what do you think of Natalia’s relationship with her children? Do you think she was a good parent?
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with family, narration, relationships, women
The Time of the Doves by Mercè Rodoreda is a captivating story with a unique protagonist. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about Natalia, the narrator. My emotions swung from sympathy to shock to frustration while reading about her. However, as the book progressed, her character developed as she learned to adapt to her circumstances. Oddly enough, this made me enjoy the book even more. It was interesting to see how she navigated life in a begrudging marriage and during a war.
I found the dynamic that Rodoreda created between Natalia and Quimet symbolic of the traditional ‘submissive woman/dominating man’ dynamic. Quimet was a controlling man who more or less declared that Natalia would be his wife after one encounter in the town square. Additionally, he finds ways to measure up the pain that she has felt with himself to prove that she cannot outdo him in any way. This was evident when he compared having a tapeworm to childbirth, claiming that they had been through a similar level of pain now.
What is noteworthy during their interaction is his nickname for her, Colometa, which means dove. Throughout the book, we see Quimet’s obsession with doves through collecting and breeding them in their house. I find this to be symbolic of how he views his relationship with Natalia as well, his so-called dove. He views her as his property, something he can collect and control.
Thus, Natalia’s hatred for the doves is a powerful indication of her rebellion against him and his behavior. When she receives news of Quimet’s death, the last dove also dies, marking the end of their relationship too.
Additionally, it is also important to note how the author has described the effects of war on an average civilian. Natalia never goes too in-depth about the war and who is fighting; this could indicate how she does not care for the politics of the war. All she focused on was her children and keeping them alive. It was devastating to read about her consideration of killing her and her children so that they would die of their own will and not because of the effects of the war.
Overall, I found this book to be a fascinating read, despite the certain level of predictability it possessed. My question for everyone else would be: what do you think of Natalia’s relationship with her children? Do you think she was a good parent?
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with family, narration, relationships, women
This week I decided to read The Time of the Doves by Mercé Rodoreda. I really felt a difference engaging with the novel by having the paper copy rather than a PDF. I really enjoyed reading Rodoreda’s detail and uses of literary devices such as “cool as a cucumber”(pg.25) and “raining cats and dogs”(pg.67). At …
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with doves, sacrifice, Spain, war
In regards to Mercè Rodoreda’s The Time of the Doves (La plaça del Diamant, 1962), I found the novel to be exciting, and I was engaged with the text throughout the entire reading. The novel is set somewhat before the Spanish Civil war and leads into the battle itself as the story progresses. The story […]
Posted in Blogs, Rodoreda | Tagged with joy, romance, Romance Studies, trauma, war
This week I chose to read The Time of the Doves by Mercé Rodoreda. I found this book easy to read and hard to put down. I quickly got lost in Natalia’s little world. Before getting into the novel I … Continue reading →
