This week’s reading by Mercè Rodoreda’s novel “The Time of the Doves,” was interesting since I can’t say I liked the read but at the same time, I can’t say I didn’t like the read. The book overall was a relatively easy read with pretty much standard formatting making it easy to follow, however, it’s the characters that I had a hard time relating with since some of their choices just did not sit well with me.

The book is about the protagonist Natalia, who goes on a fierce journey through marriage and motherhood at the same time she’s against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. Natalia’s experiences are filled with many complexities and challenges, revealing insights into the dynamics of relationships and how resilient one can be.

The main part of the story is that Natalia marries Quimet, where it’s a relationship that’s marked by control and manipulation. From the beginning, it becomes clear that Quimet’s intentions towards Natalia are not rooted in genuine love, but instead a desire for control and possession. His possessive behaviour and unjust accusations left Natalia feeling trapped and suffocated.  I can’t say that I can relate to this but at the time it made me question Natalia why she chose to marry such a possessive person when in some sense the relationship did not seem healthy.

The challenges and hardships Natalia’s got to face do not end there, she is also faced with challenges of motherhood and widowhood, despite facing extreme hardships she still showed resilience and determination, where her care and commitment to her children even amidst the turmoil of war and losses, truly shows how strong she is as a mother. This aspect of the book I really liked since it really shows just how far a mother is willing to go for their own children, and how much they are willing to endure for the better of their child.  To me, Natalia is a very interesting character since in the beginning she was portrayed as a naive and innocent young woman, you could even say she is sheltered from the harsh realities of the world around her, however after marrying Quimet, she begins to mature and grow, realizing the truth of society with societal expectations and gender norms that eventually constrain her.  Similar to the books we’ve read in the past few weeks this book is also about personal growth, where the truth of societal expectations and social norms are not as simple as one would think they are.

Discussion Question

“How does Natalia’s character change from the beginning of the story to the end, and what events contribute to this change?”

“Would Natalia’s character growth be different if she was not a mother?”