Consider the repetition of emphasis on how heavy Tereza's suitcase is and how, after she leaves, "suddenly his step was much lighter" (pg 30). If these two images are meant to show that Tereza is weight while Tomas is lightness, how does that play into the overall question of which is better: weight or lightness?
Especially consider the fact that Tomas has been cheating on his wife consistently (though the book downplays this and makes the reader sympathetic to his actions) while Tereza has been steady by his side the whole time.
For most of Part 1, the narrator discusses lightness vs. weight and develops Tomas' relationships with Tereza and Sabine, but in chapter 12 (pg. 26) he takes a significantly long break to describe the Russian occupation of Prague and focuses on Alexander Dubcek. Maybe this is just to give context for future events in the plot, but I feel like there might be some kind of connection in themes that I missed. How is Alexander Dubcek important to Tereza, Sabine, and Tomas and to the larger pattern of the novel? The break to describe him seemed kind of random to me. Also, why is Tereza happiest during this time?
Which of the poles (lightness/weight; Tereza/Sabina), if either, are we supposed to take as "good"? Why does Kundera give us contrasting opinions at the beginning of the section and at the end of the section?
ie. Parmenides, before the story of Tomas and Tereza begins, thinks lightness is "positive" (5). Beethoven, at the end of the section, thinks weight is "positive" (33).
Why end the section with weight being the good pole? Does this mean we're supposed to think Tereza is good? And finally, where is the balance?
What is the significance of the physical and the metaphysical in this section? Which does Tereza view as light, which is heavy? Why? Does her relationship to bodies change at all? Consider the following: Tereza looking at herself in the mirror, trying to “..see herself through her body” (41) The relationship between Tereza and her mom (the fact that her mom only had her because she could’t find anyone willing to give her an abortion, her nudity…) Her mention of the “crew of her soul [rushing] up to the deck of her body” (50) Her rumbling stomach The disassociated description of a face (nozel as a nose) Her feelings about nakedness Her dream of Tomas shooting naked women The fact that she thinks a nudist beach and the Russian invasion are the same (69) The fact that photographs made out of passion are the one’s nobody wants; the only ones with “perennial appeal” are those of cacti And many other examples that have escaped me..
4 comments:
Consider the repetition of emphasis on how heavy Tereza's suitcase is and how, after she leaves, "suddenly his step was much lighter" (pg 30). If these two images are meant to show that Tereza is weight while Tomas is lightness, how does that play into the overall question of which is better: weight or lightness?
Especially consider the fact that Tomas has been cheating on his wife consistently (though the book downplays this and makes the reader sympathetic to his actions) while Tereza has been steady by his side the whole time.
For most of Part 1, the narrator discusses lightness vs. weight and develops Tomas' relationships with Tereza and Sabine, but in chapter 12 (pg. 26) he takes a significantly long break to describe the Russian occupation of Prague and focuses on Alexander Dubcek. Maybe this is just to give context for future events in the plot, but I feel like there might be some kind of connection in themes that I missed. How is Alexander Dubcek important to Tereza, Sabine, and Tomas and to the larger pattern of the novel? The break to describe him seemed kind of random to me. Also, why is Tereza happiest during this time?
Which of the poles (lightness/weight; Tereza/Sabina), if either, are we supposed to take as "good"? Why does Kundera give us contrasting opinions at the beginning of the section and at the end of the section?
ie. Parmenides, before the story of Tomas and Tereza begins, thinks lightness is "positive" (5). Beethoven, at the end of the section, thinks weight is "positive" (33).
Why end the section with weight being the good pole? Does this mean we're supposed to think Tereza is good? And finally, where is the balance?
What is the significance of the physical and the metaphysical in this section? Which does Tereza view as light, which is heavy? Why? Does her relationship to bodies change at all?
Consider the following:
Tereza looking at herself in the mirror, trying to “..see herself through her body” (41)
The relationship between Tereza and her mom (the fact that her mom only had her because she could’t find anyone willing to give her an abortion, her nudity…)
Her mention of the “crew of her soul [rushing] up to the deck of her body” (50)
Her rumbling stomach
The disassociated description of a face (nozel as a nose)
Her feelings about nakedness
Her dream of Tomas shooting naked women
The fact that she thinks a nudist beach and the Russian
invasion are the same (69)
The fact that photographs made out of passion are the one’s nobody wants; the only ones with “perennial appeal” are those of cacti
And many other examples that have escaped me..
Post a Comment