Tag Archives: love

Marguerite Duras, “The Lover”

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 before. It turns out that this novel was based on the French colonial period in Vietnam in the 1930s, which piqued my interest. At the novel’s beginning, I thought that the protagonist’s family was well-off because her mother greatly valued education and wanted her daughter to specialize in mathematics. Later on, it was revealed that the protagonist’s family was poor. Still, they were White which heightened their socioeconomic status: “The head agrees because I’m white and the place needs a few whites among all the half-castes for the sake of its reputation (pg. 71).”

Throughout the story, the protagonist has to navigate through complex family dynamics and her sexual relationship with an older Chinese man who is very wealthy. The blatant racism and prejudice in some parts of the story were very discomforting as societal norms and racial prejudice made the relationship between them unsustainable. Everyone gossiped about their relationship when they found out which caused tension between the two so they never connected on a deep level despite their sexual desires. Even though the Chinese man was rich and treated her well, society and even her own family couldn’t look past his ethnicity and still considered the girl to be too good for him.

Furthermore, this is another novel from this course that plays with the fickle characteristic of memory. The storyline was fragmented, with her repeatedly retelling the death of her younger brother then jumping to the present where she had a husband and then back to her first lover. It made the plot a little more complex and engaging as it left the readers connecting the story and timeline on their own. Another interesting aspect of the narration is that the author switches from first person to third person throughout the story. At first, I thought it was to detach herself from unpleasant memories and interactions by narrating it as if it didn’t happen to her but to someone else instead. But I think it was more for the protagonist to reflect on her life in the past from the present from an external viewpoint because she can see and understand things more clearly now that she’s older and wiser.

Discussion Question:

It appears that the girl harboured a love/hate relationship with her family, especially her mother. How do you think the girl’s family influenced her life’s choices in relationships, education, and prospects? Do you think she would have continued the relationship with the Chinese man if her family wasn’t a factor in her life?

Mercè Rodoreda, “The Time of the Doves”

4 Replies

Mercè Rodoreda’s novel, “The Times of the Dove,” was a captivating and page-turning read told through the lens of a resilient and hardworking mother who struggled through the Spanish Civil War. The narrator, Natalia, provided readers with valuable insights into how women lived through the war and the challenges they had to face to provide food and shelter for themselves and their children when the men were off at war. The story begins when her friend Julieta drags her to a dance happening at the Placa del Diamant, where Natalie meets her first husband, Quimet. From early on in the relationship, Quimet raises several red flags that continue through the entire book. For instance, Quimet was a whole hour late to their first date and offered no explanations, he constantly pestered Natalie to break up with Pere, and he had an extremely violent streak. After marriage, he exhibited no compassion nor gratitude for Natalie, who had to find work while raising children and attending chores to provide enough for the family to eat.

A moment from the novel that stood out to me was when Natalia’s second husband, Antonio, proposed to her and called her by her name, “Natalia”. I don’t think Quimet ever called the protagonist by her first name, he nicknamed her “Colometa” (meaning little dove) or used “Poor Maria.”. For years, Quimet stripped Natalia of her identity to exert control and power over her. So when Antonio used her first name to reference her, it was almost like he told her she could be herself again. Additionally, I think the nickname “Colometa” foreshadowed the stress, chaos, and turmoil Quimet brought into her life.

Another moment that I think stood out to most of the readers was the part where Natalia decided to kill her children and then herself to save them from misery and starvation. I had to re-read that sentence to make sure I got it right. At first, I was shocked, but then I tried to think about the situation from the mother’s perspective and realized that she truly thought that it was the best decision for her children as Quimet had died in war and they were slowly dying from hunger. I cannot fathom the pain and hopelessness Natalia was experiencing during this time.

Discussion question:

“My mother had never told me about men. She and my father spent many years quarrelling and many more not even speaking to each other. They’d spend Sunday afternoons sitting in the dining room, not saying a word. When my mother died, the silence got even bigger. And when my father remarried a few years later there was nothing left for me to hold onto. (pg. 28)”

Did Natalia’s parents’ relationship have any impact on how Natalia chose her husband and marriage? Especially with Quimet, as it seemed like she was brought up in a house of fighting or cold silence. Also, Natalia’s father remarried, which made her feel like she had nothing to hold onto. Did she seek male validation and attention from her romantic relationships instead?

Maria Luisa Bombal, “The Shrouded Woman”

2 Replies

Maria Luisa Bombal’s novel, “The Shrouded Woman,” was a captivating read surrounding the themes of love, memory, desire and womanhood. The main character, Ana Maria, reflects on her life, her relationships, and the choices that she made while lying on her deathbed surrounded by family and friends. The narration was told in the first person, which allowed readers to understand her thoughts and actions as she recounted the significant events and people in her life. The beginning of this story reminded me of the popular phrase, “Your life flashes before your eyes,” that people use when describing a near-death experience. So is it true then? Is it possible for all the memories, burdened with emotional ties, to replay and squeeze into a tiny frame in time? If yes, then in what intensity? There are memories buried so deep within each of us that it takes a specific trigger to bring them back to the surface. Astonishingly, Ana Maria can remember her life in such vivid detail and even recall the emotions associated with each event and personal interaction.

Although Ana Maria narrated many anecdotes about her past lovers, the relationships between the protagonist and other female characters were the most interesting and insightful for me. For instance, many of her neighbours described her daughter as an “exceptional mind” which caused her to be “proud and at the same time intimidated (p. 191).” This perspective is not uncommon, as a mother often sees a version of themselves in their daughter(s) and the potential they could’ve fulfilled given better opportunities. This was especially relevant in the early 20th century when societal norms often constrained women in homes to care for children and housework. Another female character that stood out to me was Maria Griselda, the ethereal being whose beauty entranced every person she happened upon. Although her natural beauty was of the realm of her control, women often found themselves jealous and scorned her. This made me contemplate the rivalries between women and how we often form judgments and associations based on only physical appearance. To demonstrate, Silvia (Ana Maria’s future daughter-in-law) asked, “Why did Maria Grisedla’s presence always give her a feeling of inferiority?” It didn’t matter how sweet Maria was, her beauty became her curse as women felt threatened and men became infatuated. It was difficult to envision the loneliness she must’ve suffered at the hands of her beauty.

It seemed like every person graced by the beauty of Maria was mesmerized, this leads me to my discussion questions: What is beauty subjective upon? Is it demographic or cultural or something else? Maria may have fit the beauty standards in Chile, but what if she lived somewhere else; would her treatment and life turn out differently? Additionally, don’t beauty standards evolve? What really makes one beautiful?