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A review by w0rdeater
In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust
5.0
This roman fleuve consists of seven books. The protagonist is named Marcel and his surname is never mentioned, but it's only semi-autobiographical. Places and characters can be fictional but inspired by reality. Seven themes are prominent throughout the work.
Human memory:
Grown-up Marcel looks back upon his life. The texture, smell and taste of a madeleine soaked in tea reminds him of his childhood. Delving into his memory he tries to reconstruct the past in words, not just focusing on the events, but also the sensory perceptions: colors, sounds, odors... It's a kind of solipsism, where the only reality is in his head.
Snobbism:
Marcel mocks the snobbery of the beau monde, but also tries to penetrate that environment. Noble families like the Guermantes, the Verdurins and the Villeparisis are the relics of France before the Revolution, but they still decide who belongs to the clique and who doesn't.
Art:
With writer Bergotte and painter Elstir, Marcel has long discussions about art and its relation to reality. The Vinteuil sonata serves as a memory trigger for Swann. Women are compared to Italian paintings. These ideas help Marcel to develop himself as a writer.
Love and obsession:
Marcel feels attracted to several women. Gilberte Swann is a puppy love, a teenager's fantasy. Albertine becomes an obsession. Marcel feels jealous and treats her like a prisoner. His behavior towards women can be creepy.
Homosexuality:
Marcel is a heterosexual, but becomes fascinated by the discovery of homosexuality. He uses the term "homme-femme" to describe an effeminate man. "Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorra is a Biblical metaphor for homosexuals and lesbians.
Antisemitism:
In the footsteps of Émile Zola, Marcel Proust followed the Dreyfuss Affair, and became concerned about the treatment of Jews in France. Marcel is a Catholic, but has Jewish friends, notably the Swanns and Bloch.
Death:
The death of several people close to him affects Marcel. In the final book he's bedridden and his writing becomes a race against time. Proust himself struggled to finish his work before dying.
Proust's style is challenging, because of its magnitude and the long, winding sentences. It takes time and patience to get through it, but it's a milestone of early modernist literature.
Human memory:
Grown-up Marcel looks back upon his life. The texture, smell and taste of a madeleine soaked in tea reminds him of his childhood. Delving into his memory he tries to reconstruct the past in words, not just focusing on the events, but also the sensory perceptions: colors, sounds, odors... It's a kind of solipsism, where the only reality is in his head.
Snobbism:
Marcel mocks the snobbery of the beau monde, but also tries to penetrate that environment. Noble families like the Guermantes, the Verdurins and the Villeparisis are the relics of France before the Revolution, but they still decide who belongs to the clique and who doesn't.
Art:
With writer Bergotte and painter Elstir, Marcel has long discussions about art and its relation to reality. The Vinteuil sonata serves as a memory trigger for Swann. Women are compared to Italian paintings. These ideas help Marcel to develop himself as a writer.
Love and obsession:
Marcel feels attracted to several women. Gilberte Swann is a puppy love, a teenager's fantasy. Albertine becomes an obsession. Marcel feels jealous and treats her like a prisoner. His behavior towards women can be creepy.
Homosexuality:
Marcel is a heterosexual, but becomes fascinated by the discovery of homosexuality. He uses the term "homme-femme" to describe an effeminate man. "Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorra is a Biblical metaphor for homosexuals and lesbians.
Antisemitism:
In the footsteps of Émile Zola, Marcel Proust followed the Dreyfuss Affair, and became concerned about the treatment of Jews in France. Marcel is a Catholic, but has Jewish friends, notably the Swanns and Bloch.
Death:
The death of several people close to him affects Marcel. In the final book he's bedridden and his writing becomes a race against time. Proust himself struggled to finish his work before dying.
Proust's style is challenging, because of its magnitude and the long, winding sentences. It takes time and patience to get through it, but it's a milestone of early modernist literature.