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