Reflection on The Time of the Doves by Mercè Rodereda

This novel made me feel a range of emotions including shock, anger, disappointment, and sympathy for Natalia’s character. I noticed that from the beginning of the story, Natalia says that”it was hard for [her] to say no if somebody asked [her] to do something” (15). This statement sets the tone for the rest of the story which gets worse and worse for her until Quimet finally dies in the war. Natalia strikes me as timid and afraid. She is  apologetic even when she doesn’t do anything wrong (pg.20).  After she meets Quimet and breaks up with Pere, her life starts to go downhill. He starts to physically abuse her,  verbally abuse her, and gaslight her.He is manipulative, controlling and he tells her that if she wants to be his wife then she has to like all the things that he likes as well. Basically, Quimet is selfish and expects Natalia to tend to all his needs…

Certain symbols are repeated throughout the book. For example the symbol of ribbons and of birds. When he first meets her, Quimet calls Natalia a dove. I think that this is representative of the person she was prior to being with him. Before she enters into that abusive relationship, she is free of his controlling presence and she is free to do what she wants such as go to that festival and dance with him (a stranger) without her boyfriend at the time getting angry at her. When she is with Quimet later, he doesn’t give her any freedom to be who she wants to be, and he essentially keeps her from really spreading her wings.

Reading this novel, I was really angry at the abusive nature of Quimet, and I was also frustrated that Natalia stays with him over Pere. I don’t understand how she didn’t realize that he is the better choice and that she is not being treated how she deserves. Quimet is absolutely awful– he leaves her for two days because he is jealous over something that never even happened. He also is rude to his mother and the way that he treats her reflects how he also treats Natalia. The symbolism of the ribbons suggests that his mother as well as Natalia work so hard to please him and to make their home beautiful yet he only sees the ribbons as a silly hobby with no purpose. He only works hard to create things like his rocking chair that are meant only for himself. He ignores the efforts of those around him and uses people to get what he desires.

A question I’d bring up is: Why do you think that she picked quimet over pere? Was it to do with money or was she just vulnerable to his manipulation?