I was initially surprised to find out that this book was incredibly difficult to understand when I started reading it. In the process of reading this book, I kept on getting lost. I believe this may be due to the language used in the book and the main sentiment it is trying to convey. The first time I read this book, I was not really into it since what he said did not really correspond with what I wanted to hear but rather what the author was trying to convey. The manner in which it was addressed was very complicated and hard to comprehend. It is very boring for me to read this kind of book since I prefer to read books with an interesting plot, or books that contain interesting stories within them. Whenever I encounter this part of the book, I feel as if the book doesn’t appeal to me as a whole. While reading this book, I think that the author is hoping readers can reflect on the truth contained in this book as they read it.
I was surprised to find that he also quoted a comment by L’Intransigeant on page 18. Normally, in a novel such as this, I would expect that I would encounter some dialogue, but in his novel, it was someone else’s comment that made me think about this book. In addition to that, the novel is even more unique than I thought it would be. In a surreal manner, Aragon takes the readers through the streets, monuments, shops, and parks of Paris. It seems as if he is leading the reader through the scene through his personal experience. As a reader, I was more able to feel what he described abstractly than with what he actually experienced.
As a student of visual art, I have taken a few art history courses that discussed surrealism in the past. My understanding of surreal fiction was that it would visually enhance the figurative nature of surreal works of art. I think that in addition to the surreal elements, the author expresses his own thoughts, his own view of the world in the short stories.
I think after reading this book, my personal opinion would be that I did not really enjoy the way it was presented. At the same time, he also brought me through a very nice scene, at least I never saw something like that in any other book I have read.
Hi! I thought that Aragon’s approach was interesting as it did not fit the standards of a traditional story, but gave us a new perspective through the eyes of the narrator. Although I agree with you that it isn’t as appealing as something with a good plot and characters.
Hello, thank you for sharing your insight. I agree that the book’s lack of a “conventional” plot makes it harder to understand. However, I almost think Aragon intended on making his readers feel “lost”, as Aragon seems to enjoy letting his own mind wander. I also think that limitless “wandering” nature of observation is more closer to our perception of the world; we don’t always observe things in a plot, but rather by random sensations.
Daniel C
Hi Shanshan! I notice that you twice mentioned how you were impacted by the way in which Aragon walks us through Paris (through the eyes and imagination of his narrator). I wonder, especially after our in-class discussion, if you have further thoughts about *why* this might have been the main action (or lack thereof) within the novel?
And, as a reminder: don’t forget the requirement to include a question or two in your blog posts (many students put this at the end), as it is something that your peers can respond to in the comments, and also a way for us to compile a list of possible in-class discussion topics!
Hey! I relate to your struggles of keeping up with the story. I think I noticed that I would find my mind wandering because I could not anticipate what would happen in the story as there was no plot. In this sense, his writing style was definitely a huge challenge for me as well.
Great blog!
-Ashvi
Hi Shanshan! I definitely agree with you about the plot! I much prefer to view surrealism than read it. It is interesting to basically follow Aragon’s subconscious through his recollection of Paris and all the sights to see. Thank you for sharing your ideas! I couldn’t quite put these sentiments in words, but you did so stupendously.
I agree that if you are looking for a traditional novel, then this work would disappoint. But the purpose of such works seems to beg the reader to use their imagination and think creatively, outside the box, like the writer or artist. As I read this, I found myself wondering where the author intends to go with this and what is the purpose of such a work as this is the first surrealist work I’ve read, but being a spiritual mystical person I found myself relating to him because I often feel that my daydreams and imagination is more realistic than real life.