A SILLY LITTLE FRENCH TOWN (it’s a lot more than that realistically)

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to do this first blog entry and get started with the course! This week’s reading, Marcel Proust’s “Combray” was genuinely like stepping into a whole new universe and was so different compared to anything I’ve read before. It was tough and there were moments of difficulty reading the text but also moments of so much intrigue as well. It was a rollercoaster of a journey through memories and life in this little French town (WHICH IS SO COOL CONSIDERING I DID AN EXCHANGE IN EUROPE AND VISITED FRANCE).

Firstly, reading “Combray” was SO different and such uncharted territory. Proust’s writing style was so unique from what I have read in the past. It was complex and fancy yet so intricate at the same time. I won’t lie; it threw me for a loop at first. BUT that’s what made it SO interesting. It wasn’t the typical story you’d expect and I found myself being more interested in it BECAUSE of the confusion.  I loved thinking about how reading was sort of forbidden in Marcel’s secret study, it was so interesting. I think there were so many twists and turns that it challenged my usual reading habits as well.

There was also the Combray church, which was described so vividly it was such a beautiful aspect of the piece. It was described as not just a place of worship but also a place that is embedded with beauty and so many stories. I found it so intriguing how he can make these connections and allow us as readers to see the beauty in something that might be as simple as just a regular old church. 

The characters were also so interesting and had so many layers. I feel as if so many pieces of literature have characters that are so surface level but Proust made them feel so real in my opinion. There were also so many characters in my opinion, considering it was following someone’s life it was cool to see them represented through their interactions with so many people whether they be family or crushes it was exciting to read about. 

One of the biggest things that stood out was the whole concept of memory. Proust talks about memories hitting you out of nowhere, triggered by the most simple things such as dipping a madeleine in tea. It made me think about my memory triggers and is interesting as I read it at a time in my life when I have been doing a lot of reflection and remembering a lot of things and feeling nostalgic about it. So it was nice to be able to relate the reading to myself a bit as well. 

In the end, “Combray” isn’t just a book, it is an entire journey. It challenged, intrigued and left me with a whole new perspective on storytelling and literature. I guess it also excites me for what’s to come!

Some questions to prompt further discussion I have are:

What character in “Combray” is your favourite and why?

How did Proust’s writing style stand out to you? What was intriguing about it and what was challenging?