The first thing I want to recognize is something I said in a discussion group during my class last week. It was along the lines of whether these texts (that I’ve chosen) will all follow the theme of memories, past experience, or just past tense writing in general. This is the fourth book to do so. Although this has little to do with whether I enjoy the reading at the end of the day, it does make me think about Romantic writing and if the past or memory is an element of it. Or if it just a coincidence. But for some reason I keep finding myself noticing that and questioning if it’s on purpose with all Romance writing. I guess I will soon find out as I continue reading each week.
Within the contents of the book, I wanted to relate to more in certain areas, such as making a close friend as Andrea initially transitioned into university. However, it just isn’t so. The current state of the world, considering safety precautions, masks and all, I feel makes it difficult to engage in conversation and friendships as easily. Not that I haven’t made friends by any means, just not that type of connection Andrea and Ena had. Though I did relate to the university component and
This novel played into the aspect of modernity quite a bit, similar to last week’s reading of The Shrouded Woman by Maria Luisa Bombal. With the main character being a woman and exploring concepts like university, friends, relationships, and such. It brought a more realistic dimension to it all. Also like Bombal’s book there were areas describing love interests, which although this course isn’t about that kind of romance, is nice to see. I feel like woman outwardly expressing their love interests wasn’t so common back when this was published in 1945, so to have two female characters addressing their appeal for romance was refreshing – something new. Additionally, the acknowledgement of Andrea being an orphan also seems to be somewhat in the realm of modernism. I say this for the fact that Laforet even had the idea of bringing forth a concept often looked down upon and that people are so hush-hush about.
All of this brings me to ask, do you believe that the theme of memory/past experience/past tense has something more to do with Romance writing than just a style of writing? It could just be by chance that a lot of writing is written from that sort of point of view or that Romance writing specifically had this embedded in its roots.
Yes! Raymon your prophetic question about the theme of memory rings true (“prophetic question” seems to be a bit of an oxymornic, but we will go with it!)
Also great use of tags, and I am curious as to why “memory” is not one of those! Who knows, maybe it will come in handy next week too…
“whether these texts (that I’ve chosen) will all follow the theme of memories, past experience, or just past tense writing in general.”
Ha! Good question, and I’m not entirely sure how to answer it. I’d say that lots of the books we’re reading have to do with memory, and in part that’s a result of my own choices. But in part perhaps you’re simply noticing the theme more? I’d say that memory is quite a theme in lots of books, from many traditions. We’d have to read much more to decide if it really were a specific feature of literature written in Romance languages. But in the meantime, we can follow the theme and see what happens…
Hi Raymon! I really enjoyed reading your reflection on this week’s reading. I am interested in the question you pose, I’m curious if most authors choose to portray this way to showcase more significance of the love between to characters. It’s been interesting to see the difference and similarities between Bombal’s narrative of a dead main narrator and Laforet’s live one. Looking forward to the conversation on Thursday!