The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a book very unlike any other. It has a particular charm that entices you into its depths despite it being a novel that at times can be very frustrating, repetitive and complicated. If you want a story for light reading this is most undoubtedly not the right choice for you.
In a nutshell, the unbearable lightness of being is a book that explores relationships in all their vast variety set in the background of the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia 1968. Kundera explores, in a frankly philosophical manner, what makes opposites attract, and what the best path is for happiness. Along the way his characters experience infidelity, death, intrigue and politics; growing and living all the way.
The communist background is incredibly interesting especially as Kundera brings the issue into much wider context, comparing Communsim to the American dream and Kitsch. This concept of the wider context is returned to again and again as the four main characters' lives intertwine by the slightest of events or compare in the bowels of their past.
The plot line, when it is existent in the realm of philosophy, focuses down on the survival of a relationship between Tereza and Tomas. '... with his mistresses , he could never quite put down the imaginary scapel. Since he longed to take posssesion of something deep inside them, he needed to slit them open'. Tomas' infidelites are the axis for all the philosophical musings of the novel. Tomas and Tereza display two complete opposites. Tereza is the vulnerable, dependant innocent. Tomas, however, is the control freak who needs to dominate those around him. Against his best intentions Tomas falls in love with Tereza and yet he is unable to stop seeing his mistresses or meeting new women. Tereza in her dependance on Tomas can do nothing to prevent this but her deep unrest is demonstrated through her dreams. For instance, there is one instance ( when Prague is deeply under the control of the communists which adds to the dark feel to that particular chapter), when Tomas sends Tereza to Petrin Hill in order to be shot. The interesting thing about this encounter however, is that it is never made clear that this event is a dream. ''No, no it wasn't my choice at all!' but she could not imagine betraying Tomas'. This dream demonstrates just how desperate Tereza feels and how under Tomas' control she truly is. There is sense of fear imbedded into this encounter, along with lack of choice and freedom which seems to reflect Prague as a whole. It is made clear to the reader that unless Tomas changes his behaviour and life he will lose Tereza, not from her leaving him, but from something closer to suicide. The other two main characters, Franz and Sabina, are Tomas and Tereza's parallel decisions in life, exploring how other relationships can fall apart despite the fact that at a glance Franz and Sabina appear the stronger couple.
This is a joyous read to anyone who is genuinely interested in pondering mild philosophy and learning about what life is like in a communist country. Kundera writes to teach his readers and he makes this clear by breaking from the narrative frequently to make a specific lesson or message that he is trying to put across crystal clear. However, a reader who longs for an exciting narrative with lots of adventure and twists should not pick up the Unbearable Lightness of being as you will then find yourself skipping large chunks of pages to find the next piece of narrative. Skipping the philosophy undermines what Kundera wanted from the Unbearable Lightness of Being. Kundera was not writing a quaint story about life in a communist country with a relationship in the background, he was writing philosophy of people in realtion to their relationships with communist Czechoslavakia in the background. Yet, i, not knowing what manner of book i had delved into, thoroughly enjoyed it. Kundera is a craftsman who manages to break with the narrative without the reader even noticing. At times it is as if Kundera is talking directly to me. Telling me stories from his youth with the names and places slightly changed. It is refreshingly simple in its premise and personal in its delivery.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is written in a good style. The ending draws it all together well. Your focus on the text is also strong. I'd gain a lot from reading such a review in a newspaper - and would want to read the novel. Good work.
I like your phrase 'mild philosophy'. I'm wondering what this could be. Also it's scalpel and not 'scapel' by the way.
Post a Comment