Hi again!
Before explaining my thoughts and interpretations of Proust’s novel, I want to briefly talk about what the content of my posts will look like. Since the literary analyses I have written in the past have mostly focused on stylistic tools used by authors, I want to try to use this course as an opportunity to explore texts thematically. I will talk about the themes that struck me the most and how they are conveyed to the reader as the narrative unfolds.
Now back to Combray! I found this text to be very melancholic, soothing, and relatable in some ways. The first and probably most identifiable theme that is expressed by the author is the one of memory. As the narrator engages in simple activities like dipping a Madelaine in his tea like his aunt used to do, he is reminded of a series of childhood memories that create a parallel dimension to the story. I found the childhood memories throughout the whole text to be very comforting and I like how humanly they are retrieved by the narrator. The way in which the taste of the Madelaine is connected to the memories of Combray in the main character’s mind is very relatable to me and it makes the autobiography very soothing in my opinion.
I also particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Combray during Marcel’s walks with his family and by himself. I think everyone has a special relationship with their hometown and each person sees the place they come from as fascinatingly beautiful. I like how the author decides to portray the pink blossoms on Swann’s Way and how he feels overwhelmed by their fragrance. The novel is made of instances like the Madelaine scene and the pink hawthorn blossoms that perfectly capture the small random moments of our childhood that are imprinted in our memories even as we grow up. Even though this might be a bit of a stretch, I also like to think there is a connection between the pink blossoms and Geraldine, whose name is coincidentally Swann like the street. Geraldine’s character represents love in the text and – even though it might have been unintentional – I like the link between her and Marcel’s loving memory of Swann’s Way.
Love is another big theme in the novel. The main character’s love for his mother and, later, for Geraldine is intense and almost slightly obsessive. The need to have his mother kiss him before he goes to sleep in order to not suffer from his nervous ailment tells a lot about the character’s flaws and consuming habits. Similarly, the way in which he obsesses about Geraldine so much that he drastically exaggerates her beauty in his mind is profound. He seems to be in love with the idea of love and how it makes him feel, which I have always found to be a very interesting human behavior. Was Marcel actually in love or did he only love the idea of feeling love and loved? Is there a difference between the two?
I can’t wait to read some of the other posts!
– Bianca
“Since the literary analyses I have written in the past have mostly focused on stylistic tools used by authors, I want to try to use this course as an opportunity to explore texts thematically.”
OK, though I wonder how easy you will find it to separate out style and theme (form and content) in this way… After all, this volume as a whole is named after a path (“Swann’s Way”), and the way you get somewhere is, I think, for Proust as important as the destination.
Hello Professor,
I agree with you, separating thematic and stylistic analyses doesn’t make much sense. What I meant to say is that, while in the past the focus of my literary work has been focused on analyzing stylistic features almost mechanically, my main goal in this course will be identifying the main themes of the novels. Nevertheless, I will necessarily have to explore how the themes are conveyed through stylistic choices.
Thank you!
Bianca
Hi Bianca,
I really enjoyed reading your blog entry on Proust. I found it particularly interesting that you tackled the idea of whether or not Marcel was actually in love or if he simply loved the idea of feeling love. Honestly, I don’t think I have an answer to the question. However, I do believe that there is a difference between the two!
I feel as though there is an immense pressure to find ourselves in relationships even when we are not ready. The social pressure or the fear of missing out convinces us that the only way to be happy is to find a romantic partner. However, I argue that these relationships can be detrimental to our well-being when we haven’t had the chance to fall in love with ourselves first. We all preach ‘self-love’ but many of us do not practice what we preach. Then we find ourselves believing that ‘yes, this is Love.’ In actuality, it is the lack of love we find ourselves that we search for in others. This to me describes one of the subsystems of love – the idea of it.
Thank you for sharing with us!