I usually do not deep dive into the meaning of certain actions or sayings in a book however, Proust hooked me in when he was reliving a memory of his aunt looking out her window, seeing combray. I guess I haven’t put much thought into the symbolism of a window. I know it works both ways, but when the professor mentioned in the video how “the text was a window separating us, but also allowing us to see.” It made me relive some of my memories and wondered how many times a novel I was reading related to this. I felt as though his aunt did not realize that people could also see into her window; people say we can get lost in a novel, but I also think we can get lost in reality as well. Which is what I think his aunt was doing while looking through her window.

I also related to the fact that parts of Proust’s novel makes us see how children are overlooked and how many memories have different meanings when we look back now as adults. As children, no one views you as a threat so they will continue to talk thinking you would not remember or say anything, but people tend to forget that memories do exist. Even if it 20 years from the scene, information finds a way of revealing itself. I also appreciated the way Proust used sensory information acting as a trigger for memories to flood your brain. It reminds me of when I used to smell or taste a certain thing and I could either vividly remember a scene in the past where I have encountered the smell or taste. Or the sensory information was familiar, but I could not pinpoint exactly when or where in my past I have encountered it. I want to emphasize the fact that Proust made a point to say involuntary trigger memories because this experience can also be harmful for some who have had bad memories and do not want to relive them.

I think that the memory of his mom giving him goodnight kisses was somewhat harmful to him as an adult. I think he attached himself to those memories in an unhealthy way and again going back to what I previously discussed, he got lost in his memories. I feel like this would have had a negative impact on his independence. I also think that it is unhealthy how many times he had memory flashbacks, and as such an unreliable narrator sometimes I had a hard time believing if his memories were real or if he was creating something in his head to fill the space where he may not have had. For example, the way he was attaching to his mothers goodnight kisses, this may seem like a stretch, but was he maybe making that up because she never gave him goodnight kisses, but he wanted it so bad he created that memory?

My question is do you think that last point was far fetched or did anyone feel the same way? How did people feel about how Proust constantly shifted the viewpoint in the novel? Personally it made me confused and frustrated, but also made me slow down and actually try to absorb the words.