The first thing that stood out to me was the ‘invalid at midnight’. He is excited because he thinks he sees the light, that his ‘journey’ is over, but it is the servants turning off the lantern, and he will have to suffer the whole night. At first, I thought this had religious undertones, but as the passage went on, it became evident that this was about the precariousness of the comfort we seek particularly pertaining to childhood. This is further elaborated with ‘we kept as little light as possible in the garden so as to not attract mosquitoes’ (p. 14), foreshadowing the minimal and conservative comfort the narrator will receive from his parents. With all of their dinners decorated with guests, the narrator longs for the kiss of his mom, but she wouldn’t be willing until they left. There is vivid visualization for the longing for her, the seeking of the comforts of childhood. He feels ‘the anguish comes from the feeling that the person you love is in a place of amusement where you are not’ (p. 30). Boy, does that hit like a truck! Although this is in reference to his parents, this is a feeling that all readers can resonate with in any given relationship. I feel like this speaks to how our relationship with our parents can affect all other and future relationships. Topping it off with ‘the greatest desire I had in the world, […], was too contrary to the necessities of life and the wishes of others for its fulfillment’ (p.43), I propose a question. Does our own comfort come at the cost of others. Is it right to seek such a comfort?
The introduction to Combray gave me one of my new favourite quotes about ‘the artist escapes the tyranny of time through art’. The quote talks about how our imagination and perception of the world affects our recreation of it. This is plays out on p.19 when the narrator talks about how well he remembers M. Swann’s face, ‘the act we call “seeing a person we know”‘. He talks about how others don’t see M. Swann as the same figure as him, illuminated with warmth, but rather his appearance is plagued with memories in their eyes. This speaks to the dynamism of relationships, the warmth of comfort from the kiss of his mom brighter than her coldness and distance. Again, what we choose to bring forward in recollection with time versus what we neglect to give prominence. Can we create our own realities through memories?
Hi Jada! The quote about a loved one being in a place of amusement when you aren’t also hit me like a truck! I agree with what you say about it being applicable to any relationship, not just a parental one. I think this feeling is a common struggle that many people will feel multiple times throughout their lives. I really enjoy your question about seeking comfort at the cost of others, and it is a very interesting thing to think about. In many cases, I do think comfort comes at the cost of others, however, the magnitude of the cost varies given the circumstance. I do not necessarily view this as a bad thing, relationships are always going to be give and take. Some days, you will be taking, and other times you will be giving. I believe as long as their is a healthy balance, it is okay to seek comfort at the cost of someone else (within reason) as long as you would be willing to return it back to them when needed.