To begin, “Nadja” by Berton Andre, was simple yet a bit complex to read. I say this because the novel did not have any breaks in it such as organizational tactics like chapter cutoffs. Rather this novel just had a blank page that split the narration into different parts. Most writing pieces that I have read, especially novels have had chapter divisions which allows the reader to stop and pause to think about what is going on. I did not particularly enjoy the continuous style of reading but I am glad that this novel exposed me to a new style of comprehending as I had to follow along for a longer period of time.
Furthermore, as for the content of the novel I found it to be quite interesting and fun to read as it sparked many thoughts about oneself and self-reflection. This idea of self-reflection was provoked at the beginning of the novel as it starts with the question “Who am I?”. This is a question we often ask ourselves throughout our lives as we are trying to build our identity and shape our lives. Arguably some may say that this question at hand is the most important question a person may ask themselves throughout their life. Additionally, something that stood out to me specifically in the first part of the novel was Andre Berton’s view on life. He explained that one of the few ways to understand a person is through what the person haunts. I have never thought about this perspective before and found it quite intriguing as figuring out what a person haunts may not be a simple task. This idea of identity and figuring out who a person is adds a sense of realism as it allows the reader to make connections to their life and provokes personal thoughts.
Additionally, in the second part of the book Andre meets a girl named Nadja who was a charming young girl. He depicts the emotions and feelings at the time of meeting her with much description. I enjoyed the pictures that were added in the novel as it allowed me to grasp a better visual of what was going on. The inclusion of graphics is very helpful as it helps readers imagine the story better and provides good context. Novels often do not include pictures however, sometimes pictures can communicate a story better than words do and also allows a person to engage better with the writing. With that being said, I enjoyed reading this novel and am grateful for all the new ideas I got to soak in. Analyzing Nadja by Breton Andre
Discussion Question?
The novel greatly emphasizes the idea of how to understand someone. So, in your opinion what is the best way to understand a person?
Puneet, you have touched on a point that I find interesting, that of the “realistic” function of images. This “reality effect” would seem to go against the idea we have of surrealism as something merely imaginative and almost meaningless or unintelligible. If we think about it, the novel also requires us to find connections between both expressive forms, the visual and the literary.