Week 3 Nadja———André Breton

Posted on by under André Breton, Introduction

    Nadja was written by André Breton, who is a theorist of surrealism. The concept of surrealism is greatly expressed in the novel “Nadja.” Personally, surrealism is very abstract to me, and its ideas seem to transcend conventional reasoning and rationality, not depending on any conventional aesthetic constraints.

    The novel begins with the question “Who am I?” (p.11), which leads to the author’s philosophical debate. This is a question that seems never to be directly answered, but the answers are scattered throughout. The first part of “Nadja” was the most complicated for me to read, as it was a mix of a diary and philosophical thoughts. I realized that the images were disorganized and misplaced with the corresponding text. While it was distracting, it strengthened the surrealist belief, emphasizing the freedom of narrative. Nadja was not present in this part; this is where Breton was self-exploring, and trying to understand the world, not only discussing his insights but also mentioning inspiration from those surrealist artists around him. One interesting character who appeared in this part was Robert Desnos, who always seemed to “doze.” However, Desnos can always tell the name of a potential appointment before the time when his eyes are closed. Things happen in a way that escapes the control of human reason, and the author simply follows the stream of consciousness.

In the later part, where Nadja appears, it was easier for me to read and follow the main plot. Unlike traditional literature, where the main characters are often noble, beautiful, or special, the characterization of Nadja is just a woman he encounters on the street with poor clothes. However, in this surrealist literature, she becomes the main character where Breton is attracted by her eyes and her free spirit. They often meet on the street and sit at the café, but Breton never knows where she lives, why she is on the street, and exactly who she is. There is a moment when Breton asks Nadja, “Who are you” (p.71). The answer he got is “I am the soul in limbo” (p.71).  Nadja is mysterious and seems to exist in a state of unconsciousness. Nadja’s answer also seems to respond to the first question Breton asks in the novel, who is he? Breton keeps a diary of her strange behaviour and rootless thoughts. But their relationship does not last long.

Nadja has mental problems and was admitted to the hospital. However, Breton never considers her mental illness as an abnormal condition because Surrealism focuses on the freedom of mental consciousness. In sum, this was a novel full of mystery and freedom.

One question I would like to post about the novel is Nadja’s answer “I am the soul in limbo.” What is your interpretation of this answer about who Nadja is, and how does it contribute to the surrealistic atmosphere in the novel?

 

Week 2 “Combray”—Marcel Proust

Posted on by under Marcel Proust

Hello Everyone,

This week’s reading, “Combray” in Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way, was challenging but insightful for me to read. When I first started reading, I struggled to get the central story and the chronological order of the texts. I found the text to be in a dream-like flow, where the focus jumps quickly across themes like a flashing light. By reading more slowly, I gradually understood some of the mysteries and aesthetics of the story about memory and childhood.

The story begins with recollections of the narrator’s childhood. Because these memories are fragments, the plot development is not smooth and is difficult to follow. However, the events and scenes the narrator recalled are detailed and vividly beautiful.

Part 1 of “Combray” is long but centers around the narrator’s anxiety about sleep, obsession with his mother’s kisses, and his father’s scolding from a child’s perspective. It becomes clear that the narrator is a very sensitive child, and the fear of sleep and eagerness for a kiss has become his earliest memories of Combray and the past.

What stimulated his memory of Combray was the taste of tea-steeped madeleine that Aunt Léonie once offered him. In this part, Proust emphasizes how the experience of taste can open a gateway to the past. For me, this transition to part 2 is very aesthetic; the madeleine is like the missing piece of a machine. When you successfully find it, your memory also successfully runs.

A highlight for me in part 2 is the detailed depiction of landscapes in Combray. Many people may wonder why the author spends so much time depicting the scenery instead of focusing on the plot and characters. In my opinion, without these recollections of the details of the scenery, the narrator wouldn’t be able to recall the full picture of memory. Just as the narrator said, when he sees a steeple in different places, it reminds him of the steeple of St. Hilaire church in Combray and its relevant memories.

Other than this, the depiction of Aunt Léonie is so detailed and creates a sad atmospheric section in part 2. After the death of her husband, she no longer connects with the outside world, “always lying in an uncertain state of grief, physical debility, illness, obsession, and piety.” (p. 80)  It is clear she was interested in what was going on outside, but it is unknown what stopped her from connecting with the outside world. Was it sorrow, fear of stimulation, or mentally ill? In all, Crombray is aesthetic to read, characters like Swann and Odette are also important to analyze, but however, I had more reflections and thoughts about the above writings.

 

One question I would like to post is why Proust would choose to write over 40 pages to depict the narrator’s sleep and anxiety, and how does it connect to the rest of the parts in Crombray?

Week 1 Introduction

Posted on by under Introduction

Hello Everyone,

My name is Esther Zhou and I am a second-year student majoring in psychology. I am an international student born in China and grew up in Spain, France, and Italy. Since a child, I have enjoyed listening to classical music and playing the piano. Music makes me relax and escape from this noisy, fast-paced world. During my childhood in Europe, every day after school, I could hear musicians playing classical music by the metro station, couples chatting and kissing at the coffee shop, the Eiffel Tower lights up at night, and elders reading on the bus. Therefore, after physically experiencing European cultures of living and languages, I am particularly interested in the topic of romance, and romance literature.

To be honest, I am not a reader and rarely read books. Instead, I often enjoy activities that require more physical activity like dancing and swimming. Therefore, I only read books when it was mandatory and required by the school or my professors. For this semester, I hope to establish a habit and pattern of reading as well as analyzing books and novels. This class is an especially good opportunity for me to do so. This class allows me to fulfill the literature requirement for my graduation but also blends my interest in the culture of romance with literature. My expectations for this class and myself are to really understand the meaning of reading literature and gradually start to enjoy reading. Like the  question we were asked in the first intro class today, Professor Beasley-Murray asked us, “What makes a “good” reading?” The answer I have is that the reading that makes me reflect on my own life, inspires, me, or motivates me. Similarly, I think good reading is never forced, it should be volunteered, immersed, and experiencing a “flow”. I really hope for this class, after reading 11 novels, I can truly discover my interest in reading, and be able to understand some of the meaning and themes behind them! As Professor Beasley-Murray said, it requires time and practice.

Moreover,  I am interested in and love the structure of this course. I love how we can have flexibility in choosing 1 of the 2 novels each week, and how we can choose the grade we want and sign the contrast. The contrast really serves as a motivation for me to read, and do my best effort in this course. The contrast is also a sign of trust from the professor, which I really hope not to break! I’m very excited to learn more about Romance literature explore the topic and dive into the deeper theme in it!

To end my introduction, I am also interested in what makes you all interested in romance culture and literature?

 

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