Once again, this was a book that did not play out as I expected (ᵕ • ᴗ •) It was a bit difficult at first to make sense of what was happening and where each scene fit into a larger timeline, but by the end, I quite liked that! The non-linear storytelling made it feel like I was flipping through the narrator’s diary/photo album (especially with how often she talks about images) and piecing together that part of her life, which made the whole book feel all the more nostalgic.
(It also felt a bit voyeuristic, with how almost nobody was named throughout the book (which also made Helene stand out that much more!). This, in combination with the various switches to third person POV when talking about the relationship, made me feel particularly like an audience(?), watching very intimate moments of the narrator’s life while they stay anonymous)
Admittedly, I haven’t encountered many stories about this type of relationship other than having read My Dark Vanessa around 5 years ago, so I began with the preconception that the narrator (the fifteen-and-a-half year old!!) would be written as the one without power. And although she describes herself as the one having power, I disagree with her. No matter how many times the man weeps (too many to count (╥‸╥)), is described as weak, or is shown to be under the pressure of his father, the narrator is still an extremely young, financially troubled girl living in a place where her family is struggling. She insists that she knows what she’s doing, but all I see is a vulnerable child who comes from a fragmented family. There is no reversal of power that the writing sometimes seems to suggest.
Honestly, sometimes the narrator’s family stood out to me more than the relationship. So much of the scenes revolve around her mother and her brothers. It felt a lot like the narrator processing the things that happened in her home life by writing it all out. Her mother was so emotionally absent, and I felt really uncomfortable when she just… let her daughter continue to go with the man (·•᷄_•᷅ ). And the older brother was just unbelievably cruel!!! But at the same time, the mother’s life sounded brutal, having failed at the colony to establish a stable life, being in financial trouble, and having to raise everyone alone. That pressure seemed to have just crushed her and cascaded down to her children.
This, which I want to call generational trauma, is what’s really interesting to me in this book. How much does the narrator’s family dynamic impact her relationship? Does it also provide an answer for why she describes herself as the one in control?
This is also a book I think I’ll read again in the summer! I’m looking forward to talking more about it with everyone (๑•᎑•๑)
See you tomorrow!
Julie ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
8 replies on “Duras – fragmented everything”
“It also felt a bit voyeuristic, with how almost nobody was named throughout the book…” Perhaps there’s some truth to that, judging by how you describe it on your blog… and that idea of reviewing photographs has also convinced me, although they’re more like “mental snapshots.” But above all, I’m intrigued to know that you’ve read other stories that remind you of this one… I’d love to know how they’re similar and how they differ!
I was also so confused but it didn’t make sense to me by the end hahaha
I like what you said about Helene standing out because she is one of the only characters who is named. I think our narrator’s relationship with the lover might have been a bit of an outlet for her feelings for Helene.
I’d say the narrator’s family dynamic influences much of the relationship and the narrator’s life, in general. Not only does the narrator lack control and standing in society, her family is constantly burdened by poverty and failed business ventures. They too, lack power. Despite being white, they’re not esteemed members of society, but they’re not the ‘colonized’ group either. The narrator’s whiteness does help her stay out of trouble in school, but other than that, she, along with her family, lacks privilege.
Hi Julie, your blog shined quite a different light from the book than what I expected, which is refreshing. one thing I do agree on and what i also wrote in my blog is the CRAZY family dynamics. I feel the family dynamics an how her emotions vary through the book are so real!
Hi Julie, to answer your question, I think the narrator’s family dynamic plays a big role in shaping her relationship with the man. Growing up in a fragmented household with an emotionally absent mother likely pushed her to seek attention or escape outside the family. Describing herself as the one in control might therefore be a way of reclaiming agency over a situation shaped by her vulnerability!
Hey Julie
I think the narrator’s family dynamic plays a huge role in shaping the relationship. Growing up in a household marked by poverty, emotional distance, and tension , I believe pushes her to seek some form of agency or escape outside the family. In that context, the relationship with the man may feel like something she can control, especially compared to the instability at home, where she has very little power.
Hi Julie, I liked your idea that the book feels like flipping through a photo album. The fragmented structure made the memories feel more emotional and personal to me too. I also agree that the narrator’s family situation plays a big role in the relationship; it seems like her difficult home life pushes her to look for some kind of escape.
I liked your point about the non-linear storytelling feeling like flipping through a diary or photo album. That description made a lot of sense because the novel really does move through memories and images rather than following a clear timeline. I also found your discussion about power in the relationship interesting, especially how you disagree with the narrator’s claim that she has control. It’s hard not to see her as vulnerable considering her age and family situation, and I agree that her home life seems to play a huge role in shaping the relationship. Your idea about generational trauma is also really compelling because it helps explain why she might frame the story the way she does.