ULOB- The Grand March

Summary

1. stalin's son and shit
2. Stalins' son- son of god
3. Does God have intestines?
4. Adams virile member
5. Kitsch
6. Sabina and May Day
7. The senator and happiness
8. Kitsch and communism/america
9. totlaitiarian kitsch
10. Tereza and Sabina compared
11. sabina's enemy = Kitsch
12. Was she a hippocrit?
13. political kitsch
14. Franz wants to go to Cambodia
15. Americans taking over in Cambodia
16. American Kitsch
17. Photographers at the parade
18. The actress wants the spotlight
19. Death of a photographer in the mine field
20. The end of the march
21. laughable play acting
22. retreat
23. The four categories of people
24. The dreamers Franz and Simon
25. Sabina in california
26. Franzs' attack
27. death of Franz
28. irony in death
29. kitsch in death

Themes and Motifs

• Happiness
• Kitsch
• shit
• politics
• communism and capitalism
• american and communist similarities
• death
• irony
• art
• camera
• control

Characters

Sabina

Sabina becomes more distant in the novel. She tries to run away again and again from her fear of being weighed down. She appears very unhappy and lonely.

Franz

Idolises Sabina. Constant dreamer. He wants to stop being Kitsch but is too sentimental and wishy washy...he is portrayed as naieve and very very stupid in his decisions, especially towards the end of his life.

Simon

Tomas' son becomes a much fuller character in this section. We see how needy he is of a connection to the father he never knew. There is an impression of him being religious by his use of vocab.

Narrative Voice

This section is perhaps the most political of all. Kundera seems intent of making the point that there are many similarities between america and USSR especially in terms of Kitsch. The reader gets the impression that Kundera does not approve of either consitiution

Place

Place becomes important once again in this section. Contrasted are Russia, america and Cambodia. Kundera uses different situations within these countries to demonstrate how similar and futile the fight against Kitsch is in all these countries. The idea of control within them all is also explored. Especially through cameras.

ULOB- Lightness and weight - women and the scapel

Summary

This chapter (chapter 9) explores Tomas' need for mistresses and conquering.



Context

• Explains to the reader how he can continually cheat on Tereza


• Philsophy of Tomas


• leads to greater understanding of Tomas, what makes him tick


• Developing Tomas' need of control


• Obsession


• Discovery


• conquest


• Scientific approach

Scapel

Kundera discusses how Tomas wanted to dissect each womans individual essence with a scapel. By using this word he emphasises Tomas' innate logical mind and scientific approach. This is underlined further when we see him verbal protocoling a particular womans essence when he divides her individuality into three categories or motifs. This word choice of the scapel and him slicing open women is also a sexual innuendo and creates images in the mind of other slicing motions that Tomas will be doing with these women.

So it was a desire not for pleasure (the pleasure came as an extra, a bonus) but for possesion of the world (slitting open the outstretched body of the world with his scapel) that sent him in pursuit of women.

ULOB- Lightness and weight 2

Summary

1. oedipus
2. communist regime- lack of freedom- Tomas' article
3. The debate of retraction
4. Everyone assumes he will do it
5. The minister of the interior
6. The ministers new idea
7. Es muss sein and being a doctor
8. Beethoven, es muss sein- window cleaner
9. Women and the scapel
10. Lyrical and epic womanizers- giraffe woman
11. sex with giraffe woman and disecting her essence
12. Tomas' lack of beauty with his sexual conquests/poetic memory- rug girl
13. Meeting with the son
14. Tomas does not sign
15. The image from which tomas was born and life is not repeated
16. Rebirth , optimism and pessimism
17. Two years of holiday exhausting
18. The failed holiday in the country and Tereza's dreams
19. Czech life changed
20. Meeting with an old colleague
21. Tomas discovers what Tereza thinks about his hair
22. aggresive stupidity of sex
23. femine calm, bulrush basket and Tereza

Themes

• es muss sein
• repetition
• holiday
• change
• love
• sex
• conquest
• control
• lightness and weight
• duty
• optimism and pessimism

Motifs

• bulrush basket
• oedipus
• scapel and disection of female essence
• poetic memory

Character

Tomas is the only character in this section really. Even Tereza we only meet once. All the characters in this section seem to be 2D to throw off of Tomas. The character S for instance. As his name is simply S this implies that he has a small insignificant role as he is not important enough even to have a real name. None of the other characters have names, they are simply minister, giraffe woman, S, son etc.

Tomas is confused with life and unsatisfied. He seems to ponder if his life is fruitless and how it has become that way. He still is very cold and emotiinless but becomes more aware of this fact.

Place

More imporatantly in this section rather than place in terms of setting (which has not changed as we're still in prague) is place in life which is really what Tomas spends this section exploring; what his place in life is and whether it is the right one or whether its even worth thinking about it.

Narrative Voice

The narrative voice is very different once again in this section. The lacunae become more frequent and Kundera begins to step out of the story again. It seems that Kundera is at his most analytical and philosophical with Tomas. This section is fraught with a light confusion as to whether Tomas has made the correct choices and for the right reasons as Kundera analyses all these decisions and possibilties of others which make the reader doubt Tomas' decisions and decision making abilities.

ULOB Soul and Body 2- Petrin Hill

Summary

Tereza is sent to Petrin Hill by tomas where people are voluntarily being executed. It is never stated that this encounter is a dream.

Context

• Assuming that this is a dream then there are parallels with the Swimming pool dream themes
• death
• control (especially concerning tomas being in control and power over Tereza.)
• Reality and Unreality are blurred showing Tereza's fragile state of mind.
• Tereza = feeling threatened
• Betrayal (Both ways, tereza and tomas have betrayed each other)
• Lack of choice - Prague, threat , secret police- these feelings of the city seem to be personified by Tereza; tomas therefore is Russia personified

Rifle/camera

Each of the volunteers is shot with a rifle but in Tereza's warped mind this could be symbolising how she herself put lives in jeopardy by taking pictures of the prague spring which were then used later on to arrest revolutionaries. The camera has gone from being a symbol of freedom and art to Tereza to being one of threat and death. However, as her art becomes death her freedom has thus been suppressed and Tereza feels repressed. This is further emphsised by the blindfolding. Tereza specifically asks not to be blindfolded as she is afraid of her senses being isolated. She feels that this isolation would further repress her. Also, there is the interesting image of each victim choosing their own tree to die against. This is so out of place that it must be an important motif that Kundera wishes the reader to pick up on, however, i find it difficult to fathom specifically what this is. The idea that the tree represents life seems too simple... could it perhaps symbolise czech culture being covered with death? This idea only really seems to make sense if the trees or forest is particularly important in czech life...

...'No, no it wasn't my choice at all!' but she could not imagine betraying Tomas.

This quote demonstrates the themes of control, dependance and betrayal. The speech is what Tereza wished she was able to say. the repetition of the word 'no' demonstrates how strongly she feels about the situation. The use of the word choice instead of decision also seems significant. By using the word choice rather than decision Kundera personalises the situation. Decision is a formal word that is connotated with matters of state, complications and complexity, whereas choice has much lighter connotations. Choice is a less formal word, it is simpler and all encompasing. We have freedom of choice rather than freedom of decision. The reader can therefore empathise with Tereza in this situation more. At the same time, it removes power from the executioner by using this informal word and makes it easier for tereza to withdraw. This seems to symbolise Tereza's view of Tomas who she finds intimidating until the odd moment when he shows care and affection thus allowing Tereza to open up and sob on his shoulder as she discuses later on in this section.

ULOB Soul and Body 2

Summary

1. Karenin wakes Tereza.


2. Radio politics- tension- no privacy


3. umbrella fight with women


4. concentration camp= Terza's past/mother


5. Body reflecting the soul?


6. what's in a soul?


7. Persecution and lack of privacy- man identified by photos of prague spring


8. flirtation and fidelity


9. Drunk boy flirts with Tereza


10. flirtation with engineer


11. Tomas' hair =infidelity...he asks her to go to petrin hill


12. Petrin Hill


13. No blindfold for Tereza at Petrin Hill


14. Tereza's grief


15. The Engineer's lure


16. In the flat of the engineer


17. banal sex with engineer


18. The engineers toilet


19. Tereza leaves


20. The crippled crow


21. The crow dies


22. Tereza looks in the mirror


23. Fear of the 'engineer'


24. Fear of the secret police


25. Holiday- identity of Czechoslavakia has changed


26. Fear of Tomas knowing her infidelity


27. Paranoia and confusion


28. Benches in the river

Themes and motifs

• Soul and body


• Crudeness


• Death


• forced situations


• Fear


• Paranoia


• Confusion


• Vertigo


• The body


• nudity


• the past vs the future


• benches in the river


• aesthetisism


• the crow


• identity

Characters

Tereza

This section focuses almost solely on Tereza. We fid her dissatisfied with life, paraoid of threat, fearing Tomas and other women. She feels too emotionally attached and wishes she could live more like her mother and be more of a body than a soul. This is why she constantly feels vertigo.

Tomas

By the sole act of Petrin Hill Tomas becomes more sinister. As this section does not come from his point of view we cann't know his reasoning behind it. He appears cold, emotionless. Tereza's opposite as she constantly bursts into tears in this section. He is perceived as strong in his coldness.

The Engineer

A relatively unexplored character. He is shrouded in mystery. We do not discover if he is a member of the secret police or not. He is alien and different.

Place

Set in Prague once more. Prague has become fractured. A place of paranoia. All the inhabitants seem to live in fear of discovery of blackmail or sin. We are reminded that Prague is not the romatisised fatasy of Franzs' imagination. There are various references to Prague and Czechoslavakia becoming Russian and no longer having its own identity.

Narrative Voice

Soul and Body 2 is far more narrative than any other section so far. Kundera chooses to show us this emotional stage of Czech history through Tereza as this means that the emotioanl side of it, the entrapment of the situation can e fully seen as only a character such as Tereza can fully display the fear and paranoia within the USSR's 'occupation'.

ULOB- words misunderstood

Summary

1. Geneva- Franzs' mistress sabina, bowler hat misundertstandment


2. Sabina's dissapointment in lack of frenzs' understnading of bowler hat


3. misunderstood words- woman, fidelity and betrayal, music, light and darkness


4. Sabina meets fellow emigrees


5. Misunderstood words- parades, beauty of new york, Sabinas country, cemetry


6. Marie-claude art gallery


7. Misunderstood words- the church in amsterdam, strength, living in truth,


8. Sabina decides to leave Franz


9. Sabina is gone


10. Sabina in paris


11. Franz's idolisation of Sabina

Themes and motifs

• contrasts


• misunderstanding


• bowler hat


• betrayal


• fidelity


• truth


• beauty


• judgement

Characters

Franz

Franz is parallel to Tereza. He is less weak/ dependant than her but is just as needy emotionally. He also has very idealistic views of truth, beauty and love. However, unlike Tereza who thinks she is unworthy of such romance, Franz wishes to immerse himself in it. He appears naive... especially in terms of his relationships.

Sabina

Sabina is parallel to Tomas. She is strong, dominant and wants to be in control of her own life. Her independance is very important to her; just like Tomas. Sabina seems to illustrate the other choices that Tomas could have made... perhaps to show to the reader which is the more fulfilling path even though one is more work? Her art and the sense of being different to others is also important to Sabina. The reader has the impression in Misunderstood words that she misses Tomas.

Place

This section is set in Geneva mainly, but also visits other European and one american city. Geneva is the opposite of Prague. It is orderly, peaceful and quiet. It seems that Kundera wishes to portray opposites in every sense. Franz thoroughly loves the serenity of Geneva but is drawn by the romance of being in a chaos city such as Prague. Sabina does not seem to feel at home anywhere... At every place that she lives she finds something to betray and run from. In Geneva Sabina finds a hippocitical natureto the city which she finds abhorrent...along with Franz who seems to good to be true.

Narrative Voice

The Narration still flows seamlessly despite the frequent lacunae. I think Kundera manages this by linking ideas from one chapter to the next... having the narration of the story merely being a menas to explain the philosophical point he wishes to make. The fact that he is telling a story is less emphasised in this section.

ULOB- Soul and body

Soul and body summary

• Tereza's background


• Tereza's mother


• Tereza's soul


• How Tereza and Tomas met


• The scream and the hand in the night


• Analysis of Tereza's dream


• Vertigo


• Sabina and Tereza bonding in the studio


• Photographs


• Swiss life for Tereza


• Back to Prague

Themes

• body and soul
• vanity
• soul reflected through the face
• sacrifice and guilt
• chance encounters
• music
• dreams
• vertigo
• helplessness and control
• art and photography
• nudity vs modesty
• liberty vs repression
• dependance
• responsibility and duty

Motifs

• swimming pool dream
• nudity
• books
• anna karenina
• music- beethoven
• camera
• 6
• mirror
• youth and beauty
• blame and shame
• suitcase

Characters

Tereza

Her character is developed in this section and we understand her much better. Looking at her mother and how Tereza is so ashamed of her past allows us to see how she can become so dependant on Tomas. The reader is led realise that Tereza has the ability to be afraid of anything as her emotional state is so delicate and she has the tendancy to be paranoid.

Tomas

His character is not deveolped particularly in this section. The idea of Tomas' control is emphasised however, particularly with his order of 'strip'.

Sabina

Sabina is developed in this section most strongly as in this section she becomes a much fuller character rather than simply Tomas' mistress. She is developed through her artwork ; as she explains her paintings the reader gets the impresson of how unconventional and independant she wishes to be.

Place

As in lightness and weight the two main settings are Prague and Zurich. The only difference that comes with Tereza's viewpoint is how she sees the two places. At the end of the section she expresses how Prague seems to her to be a 'camp of the weak' and she relates with this and returns to Prague. Zurich, to Tereza unlike Tomas, is very much a foreign place where she is dependant for every part of her life. Prague=control Zurich=dependance

Narrative Voice

As before there are definite moments where the author reminds us hat he is but telling a story with fictional characters. He still continues to break with the narrative to explore philosophy and also to bring movements in time. The frequent lacunae give a fast paced feel. Curiously i do not find the book jumpy but i can't quite put my finger on why yet...

Quotes

'Tereza was born of the rumblings of a stomach' pg37

'irreconcilable duality of the body and the soul' pg37

'she thought she saw her soul shining through the features of her face.'

'her soul would rise to the surface of her body like a crew charging up from the bowels of a ship, spreading out at the deck, and singing in jubilation.' pg 39

'being a mother meant sacrficing everything'pg 41

'Her behaviour was but a single grand gesture, the casting off of youth and beauty' pg 43

'books were the emblem of the secret brotherhood' pg45

'there she stood before sabina naked and disarmed.' 62

'a carnival of hate filled with a curious (and no longer explicable) euphoria' pg 64

'camp of the weak' 69

'she was like her country, which stuttered , gasped for breath, could not speak.' pg 71

'heay suitcase above her head' 72

'it was a sense of beauty that cured her of her depression and imbued her with a new will to live.' 74