Usually they say that one’s life flashes before their eyes right before they pass on.
I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing Ana Maria life through Bombal’s unique storytelling structure. Although Ana has passed and can no longer interact with the world as a living being, A Shrouded Woman is filled with interactions and connections through the her thoughts and recollections as loved ones visit her. This appreciation for life and the people in it can only be expressed as she has passed and now views her own life from an outside perspective, like a ghost. Each section of the book features a new person that impacted Ana’s life, and provides the reader with a new outlook on who Ana was and how she changed over time. It was interesting to read how overtaken she was from her first love, how it swept her with passion and then tortured her with heartbreak. Then later in life she sees that her daughter finds herself in an almost identical circumstance, she knows what that is like and teaches her daughter as someone who has been in her shoes. I typically feel encumbered by the introduction of many characters in quick succession, but I feel that this book’s use of each individual gave new meaning to Ana Maria.
The use of frequent perspective changes between first and third-person allowed me to experience the emotions and feelings of Ana in some moments and then watch her from afar in others. This seemingly chaotic back and forth of narration then experience was like watching a movie that I was in, changing scenes and cutting between frames of different perspective. The book also features a plethora of illustrative and artistic imagery that often fostered a bittersweet feeling in me as a reader.
Although Ana’s life, like many others, is filled with suffering and pain, I was inspired by her thoughts after death and the contentment she was able to find. This work showed to me the beauty in the pain, and I was able to look back on Ana’s life like it was my own. I hope that I can find peace as she did while I am still living, and I think this book has given me a good experience to get started. Last class we talked about the purpose of literature and if they should make people better, I think that this book served that purpose. 4.6/5
If you died and was in a ghost-like state, who do you think would visit you first and why?
Although I have always found that rating books can be misleading, I think in your case it helps us know if you are enjoying the novels each week! Furthermore, it is true that there are cinematic characteristics in this narrative…let us not forget that when it was written, cinema had already had a tremendous impact throughout the world.
Hi Jonathan! I enjoyed reading your blog, and I also thought of the discussion about what literature is while reading the book. The emotions I felt, whether it be sympathy or shock (from the suicide!), or just the bittersweet pang in my heart, this book really had an impact as literature does. Your question at the end really had me thinking about the important people in my life and whether they would come visit my grave after death, to talk to my ghost. It would probably be my mom, as she is the person I have the strongest connection with. Anyways, amazing blog post!
Hey Jonathan, I really connected with your thoughts on the contributions of this book that make you a better person. For me, it this was also relevant in the context of being exposed to a feminine perspective in that time and setting which was quite unique. Had I passed away or was a ghost (I guess), I think the first person I would probably consider is my grandparents. I sort of feel the significance of Bombal introducing the characters in a certain order somewhat based on the timeline of her life and I was raised by my grandparents so maybe them. But also I doubt that they’ll be around if I died now that I think about it haha
Hey Jonathan!
Great blog post, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this weeks reading, I especially liked your point on the chaotic switching in the narration – now that I think about it it does kind of seem like a movie!
To answer your discussion question – I think the first person I would visit is my dog haha, but for fun maybe I would visit someone random or like a celebrity and spooky them!
Look forward to hearing from you more! Have a nice week:)
Hi Jonathan,
I really enjoyed your blog post, I think your perspective is very unique. I agree that the decisions Bombal took in how she separated the book were with a purpose, and it ended up giving us a lot of power as readers to perceive Ana Maria in a more thorough picture. Each section to an experience with a new character allowing us to get different insights on Ana. If I were in a ghost state, I think my mother would visit me first. I think when I’ve been in my lowest points as well as highest, she is a constant person in my mind and life no matter if I’m actually with her or not. I’d say she shares this feeling with me, and that she would come to visit me and I would remember all the good things about my life.
Hi there,
I really enjoyed your post and rating – such a fun way of writing the blog! I also really enjoyed the unique narration style of the book.
I honestly think that my cat would come visit me first, followed by my parents and closer friends.