To begin, “Combray” by Marcel Proust, as previously mentioned by my other classmates, was not the easiest read. As I started reading the novel I quickly realized that the story is written in very fine detail as every scene is described in depth. This made the story a bit hard to follow and stay in tune with as the style of writing was lengthy, resulting in me losing interest in certain parts. Also, the way the memories were explained and laid out, made it hard to follow the sequence of events. Thus, due to the descriptive methodology used, I felt as if I was not able to comprehend the story to the best of my abilities. I do not feel as if I would be able to explain the story to others as well as I may be able to explain other pieces of writing. 

Although the reading felt difficult, I enjoyed the overall storyline of the novel. I found it interesting how the narrator looked back at his childhood and the hardships he faced as a child but more specifically while it was time to sleep. One thing in particular that stood out to me was how he had to follow a strict routine to fall asleep. This routine involved a kiss from his mother before he fell asleep as he could not sleep without it. The difficulty of not falling asleep without the kiss was depicted when they had a guest (Charles) come over and the mother was not able to kiss the narrator due to being occupied. This idea perpetuates the concept of habitual practices and routines that we adopt in our daily lives. Often as humans, we have to do specific things throughout our day, every day as we feel incomplete without it. I think the narrators attachment to his mother and the anxieties associated with it, is a universal experience for kids as a mother’s love can be the most comforting feeling for them. 

Furthermore, this idea of routine and change is portrayed via the narrators transition between childhood and adulthood. He explains the transition of how he became less dependant on his mother as he gets older. Change and transition between phases in our life are not easy but rather require stepping out of our comfort zone and trying new things.  In this sense, the story provides a realistic perspective for people to relate to which is a positive feature as stories like this written that far in time, do not always feel relatable. 

With that being said, I would have enjoyed this story more if it was a bit simpler but I am glad I was able to challenge my reading and comprehension skills with this novel.

Discussion Question:

1. Has anyone had a similar experience to the narrator in regards to following a specific routine as a child? If so, what did that routine or practice look like?