My initial impression of “The Shrouded Woman” by Bombal was somewhat not very optimistic since it starts off itself by a woman on her deathbed. But as I gradually got to reading this short story, I realised that some parts actually kept me quite hooked and gripped but other parts really made me question the authors intent!
One of the key parts I really enjoyed about this story was the way new characters were intricuced. We had Anna Marias first impression of the people as they were mourning (or rather some just giving an awfully dry reaction to her death) for her. But with each new character she goes on to nararte the key aspects and key events of the relationship the person shared with her through her life.
Another aspect I really liked was how the seasons were portrayed (hence the picture attached at the end) as so fundamental to the mood of the story at that particular time of her life. Like for starters, a lot of her childhood and teens were shown as sunny and happy spring days as she discovered her first love, her first heartbreak which showed how much she enjoyed her childhood (even if things did not go as per plan with regards to her first love). During tumultaneous and uncertain times of her life, it was shown as the “storms” season or just plain old winter.
There were a lot of parts in the story that just made me go like why are all the characters so obsessed and intertwined with few people. The Marie Griselda arc and the insecurities on Silvia’s end made me feel so bad for these two women. I also felt that just focusing on Marie Griselda’s beauty was so unfair, because we barely have any instances of talking about what kind of a person she actually is. Silvia’s part where she killed herself because of her insecurities really broke me and made me think about what this means in the modern day’s context as well with stuff like social media and influencing etc.
One part of the story that really made me furious was the part about her husband and her best friend’s affair, and the way he treated her. I really thought Sofia and her had a real bond…I was so glad when she finally lashed out to him and called him out for his affairs and the line at the end when she says “She no longer hates him and no longer loves him” because she is FINALLY free of her husband in death, made me feel so happy for her.
Looking back at this story, it really reminded me of the poem “Crossing the Bar” by Alfred Lord Tennyson, which I had read in high school. A striking difference I find between these two is that
One offers comfort.
The other offers truth, especially about women whose lives were constrained, unlived, or unheard.
A question I would have liked to further discuss is that looking back at the story, what would have been the narrators most fond memory of her life and with which character has her relationship grown the most (in an optimistic way) throughout the course of the story.
2 replies on “The Sandbar Between Life and Death”
Yes, the seasons and weather are important here… but isn’t she drawn not only to sun and to summer, but also to water and rain, for instance. (NB southern Chile is almost as rainy as Vancouver… parts of it even more so, I think!)
I’m interested in the comparison with the Tennyson poem (which I don’t know, but I will look it up). But are you suggesting that Bombal’s novel does *not* offer comfort? I’m not so sure…
Meanwhile, don’t forget to use tags (to indicate key concepts and ideas in your post: seasons? weather? obsession?).
Hi Zahra! I found your connection to the weather really interesting—I completely see what you mean. I also strongly relate to how you felt about the affair. I think it was written so intensely, which is why the emotional impact feels so powerful.