I really enjoyed reading this piece, and the more I read, the more immersed I was in the story. One thing that I want to note about the reading was how description-driven it was. If someone asked me what the plot was, it would be difficult to describe. I would probably say something about how it’s about a young boy growing up, his descriptions of an important time in his life, and how place, specifically Combray, helped to shape him. There were many little lines and quotes that I noted down as I read, some that jumped out at me or because I loved the metaphor used. I actually wrote two down about habit, one from the beginning of the reading and one from the end. “Habit! That skillful but very slow housekeeper” (pg 17) and “Habit had taken me in its arms, and it carried me all the way to my bed like a little child” (pg 71). I love how both lines feel so similar in the sense of home and routine.

The use of language and description has made for an enjoyable read. The narrator used so many references to smells and tastes that really helped me feel and experience everything that the little boy was feeling. I also loved the character of Aunt Leonie and was reminded of my own Grandmother who clings to routine like the Aunt does. I love the simplicity of their life and how important place was to them. Where we grow up and experience things becomes so vital and tied to our being. Growing up by the water, I feel intrinsically connected to the ocean and couldn’t imagine living anywhere far from it. It feels similar to the narrator in the reading as he connects to Combray and both the Guermantes and Meseglise way. They shaped him and he credits them for who he is.

The big question I had at the beginning was why the boy wanted a kiss from his mother so badly. I thought maybe it was because he wasn’t given enough attention or potentially lacked a positive attachment to his caregiver, but then as I read on, I realized it was just one of those aspects of being young. Growing up, my younger brother was similar in his routines and how specific he needed everything to be. He would be so quick to cry and scream when things would deviate, as the little boy was. I felt as though we almost got to watch the little boy grow up and how his views of himself and the world around him changed and matured. It is in this same way I see my brother now.

One question I have for discussion would be about place and if there, like the boy in the reading, is a place you credit an important part of yourself to?