Monday, June 22, 2009

book notes: Within a Budding Grove (Proust)

Alright, on to more pleasant things! I've gotten through Volume II of In Search of Lost Time: "Within a Budding Grove", and am finding that the story is largely coming back to me, although there are numerous characters that I had forgotten. In general, if I remembered Volume I largely for the scene in which the narrator is a young boy waiting for his mother to come up to his room, I remembered volume II largely for the scene on the beach, when he first sees Albertine, his future wife as a young girl. For some reason though, I remembered this scene as occurring at the end of the book and occupying several pages.

In fact, the scene with the little band on the beach at Balbec is suprisingly short and inconspicuous, but it hovers into view throughout the last third of the book, the way memories of loved ones become dearer than the actual event, or the way we suddenly recognize a cherished friend in a crowd of strangers. When the narrator visits the studio of the painter Elstin, the art suddenly makes him aware of, "the possibility of raising myself to a poetical understanding, rich in delights, of manifold forms which I had not hitherto isolated from the total spectacle of reality." It's this ability to look back on the total spectacle of reality and pluck certain images and memories that will make the narrator a novelist one day. It's the basis of creating art, but for Proust, all remembering is creative, and actually all perception is creative as well. In this sense, the narrator, who spends so much time in this book observing and studying the face of his first love, Gilberte, like a jeweler walking around a diamond and counting the facets, is already a great artist and destined to be a great writer.

Not yet, though. This book details his childhood and adolescence, in which he spends much more time planning to write than actually writing. A Proust website once featured a contest to summarize Proust (a la Monty Python) in one sentence. My favorite was, "Mmmmmm, cookies!" But many of them summarized the six volumes as, "How Marcel became a great writer". That won't come until later- in fact, his name won't be revealed until later, and then just once. The temps perdu in the title refers also to the years he spent not writing. In a sense, it's the story of a writer who finally got around to writing.

This time through, I'm also noticing how much of this volume has to do with art and our appreciation of art. The key scenes for me are the narrator's highly anticipated chance to see the actress Berma in performance- he's a bit let down; his chance to dine with his favorite author Bergotte- I think there's a kinship there; and his friendship with the painter Elstin. Artists, and those with an artistic temperment, form their own class in Proust's novel. I would include Swann with this band, although his sensibilities are far decayed by this point.

This gets at the question of snobbery- Proust writes volumes about snobs and snobbish social circles, but there always seems to be a ironical distance to these scenes. He's a much funnier writer than he ever gets credit for. But there's a scene in "Within a Budding Grove" that, I think, tips his hand. The family is dining with the gas-bag Norpois, and our young narrator is put down by the older man for his admiration for the novelist Bergotte- a creation of Proust. The old ambassador criticizes this sort of writing as "art for art's sake", and certainly not suited for a world in which geopolitics have become as serious as they are in the Belle Epoque. The narrator is shamed into silence.

But, of couse, Proust sides with all of those beings whose artistic sensibilities place them outside of the crowd. When his snobs are most ridiculous is when they're talking about art they have no sense for. And when his heroes reach to the depths of themselves, it is most often art that helps them get there. It is this ability to create our lives- which consist only of memories, after all- through a poetical understanding, and to be helped in that lifework through art, that I believe Proust places at the heart of human existence.

8 comments:

Mini said...

I am so impressed you are getting through Proust.. I tried many times and failed. Embarrassingly, I fell asleep every time I started reading, at about page 25 or so. It was too much like listening to someone talking about their dreams.. I can never get into those either. I also had this idea maybe I had a bad translation or something--reading it in the original language is probably so much better.

Rufus said...

I don't know- they say the new Modern Library translation is one of the best yet done. So that might help. But I guess you do have to get adjusted to Proust's rhythms. I can see where it can be a bit boring, especially since his narrator rarely seems to do anything! For me, once I got into the pace of it, I found it like listening to an interesting conversationalist whose memory is much more vivid than my own.

Incidentally, I'm reading most of it in English- I could only get a copy of the last book when I was in France! Proust's French is about as hard as it gets, but I'm hoping to one day read the whole thing in French. I'm a bit of a Proust nut, I guess.

Anonymous said...

[b][url=http://www.uggukwebsite.co.uk/]uggs uk[/url][/b] All these purses are created with exclusive complete and unquestionably, they may be the best inside the current market. The are absolutely amongst the top and folks from all with regards to the earth are getting them for his or her standing as extremely very well as their outlook. It really is definitely one of the most renowned model residences while in the world.

[b][url=http://www.louisvuittonpursessalenow.com/]louis vuitton outlet[/url][/b] If those people chickens occur a bit closer for your prized veggies or flowers, the sprinkler technique goes to instantly perform. The shower goes to surprise and drive them away. Since chickens detest getting wet, it's rather easy to show them to help keep away from that unique area..

[b][url=http://www.louisvuittonwalletsmall.com/]louis vuitton wallets[/url][/b] Though currently being responsive is important, returning telephone calls after hrs or investing weekends placing out fires are behavior that quickly turn into counterproductive by way of creating or sustaining the existence equilibrium quite a few business owners request. Most difficulties will not be dire emergencies and can wait around. People today regard anyone who has superior and acceptable boundaries.
A wholesome lower calorie eating plan complemented with work out must be followed religiously, if you would like to determine the effects of excess weight decline health supplements. Organic fat loss nutritional supplements that operate also hope you to abide by a balanced diet plan and carry out regular work outs. Kids, pregnant and nursing women of all ages should really not consider these nutritional supplements.

[b][url=http://www.louisvuittonbagssalenow.co.uk/]louis vuitton outlet[/url][/b] With that said, additionally you really need to know how to hold stated paddle. It isn't so simple as just finding it up and swinging it, there's a selected approach to carry the grip that gives you the most effective chance to make the shot that you simply want. It is a thing you need to do in case you are intending to get significantly thinking about actively playing..

[b][url=http://www.louisvuittonwebsite.co.uk/]www.louisvuittonwebsite.co.uk[/url][/b] One way you can encourage your small business or plan on Google is if you take benefit of Google Subscribed inbound links. This can be a software that you simply can use to build a unique subscribed website link that can present up inside the search engines like google and yahoo. Because this is usually a Google resource, you can find into the fourth situation inside the Google Web site which has a subscribed hyperlink..

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.49ersonlineofficialstore.com/mike_iupati_jersey_super_bowl]Mike Iupati Jersey[/url] emurbursofs
[url=http://www.footballravensprostore.com/ed_reed_jersey_super_bowl]Ed Reed Jersey[/url] TynckeyncBype
[url=http://www.49ersonlineofficialstore.com/kendall_hunter_jersey_super_bowl]Kendall Hunter Jersey[/url] Proonseorek

Anonymous said...

I apologise, but, in my opinion, you are not right. I am assured. I suggest it to discuss.
YES, a variant good
The matchless theme, is pleasant to me :)
It is reserve
What from this follows?

[url=http://www.blogymate.com/post.aspx?blogid=3687616&t=Pandora-Jewelry-is-often-the-best][b]michael kors outlet online[/b][/url]
[url=http://shenenmaoyipp.soup.io/][b]michael kors outlet online[/b][/url]
[url=http://shenenmaoyiww.weebly.com/][b]michael kors outlet online[/b][/url]
[url=http://michaelkorscheap2.lifeyo.com/home/preview/][b]michael kors outlet online[/b][/url]
[url=http://mvpmichaelkors0.lifeyo.com/home/preview/][b]michael kors outlet online[/b][/url]

Anonymous said...

http://hermeshandbag.finniwolf.com Ihioybo http://hermeskelly.finniwolf.com kelly hermes sale birkin hermes sale if your child the actual games grass at morning-due care unit or perhaps in a hotel, be positive it's the latest machine, exploring bathroom scarves hermes may far more hermes handbag birkin easier said than done once jet pilots go for a walk on the exterior their very own spacecraft. the most designs include a very easy-stop and as well,as well as the bear strap thus,terribly these people are much better to tote around than a pannier.

Anonymous said...

I get pleasure from, result in I found exactly what
I was having a look for. You've ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye

Also visit my webpage ... fat loss factor review

Anonymous said...

This paragraph gives clear idea for the new visitors of blogging, that truly how to
do blogging.

Feel free to visit my weblog: advanced language translations