Jonathan’s Comments (group member since Oct 24, 2013)

Jonathan’s comments from the Reading Proust's In Search of Lost Time in 2014 group.

And marriage to Albertine was brought up as well. Will they or won't they? His mother doesn't exactly sound enthusiastic about it.

Mme Verdurin really tries to put the narrator off going to see the Cambremers...it's full of bores...you won't sleep for a week. Then she tries to put him off going to Rivebelle (their pancakes can give you peritonitis, you know!) ...the woman's a bloody tyrant!

As it was only twenty pages to the end of Chapter Two I just had to finish it instead of leaving it until next week, and what a great little scenario we get:

Mme Verdurin asked him: "Did you have some of my orangeade?" Whereupon M. de Charlus, with a gracious smile, in a crystalline tone which he rarely adopted, and with endless simperings and wrigglings of the hips, replied: "No, I preferred its neighbour, which is strawberry-juice, I think. It's delicious."

I keep trying to imagine exactly what Charlus looked and sounded like when he says those words, especially as the narrator says that from those words one can conclude that 'he likes the stronger sex".

Dave wrote: "In the reading I've done since finishing, I found the passage where Charlus gets upset at "just a Baron" is cited as the clearest evidence that Charlus' charachter was based in part on the Duc de Saint Simon."

Thanks for the info Dave. Is this the Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon here? Proust also mentions Saint-Simon in this section in connection with him sitting whilst Mme Verdurin is standing.

Dave wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "it's only the narrator who has any interest in the countryside and the views." Your comment Jonathan reminded me of some of the things Alain de Botton writes of in "How Proust Can ..."

Yes, the de Botton book highlights these sorts of episodes from ISOLT.

I also noticed that in this section as well as next week's he attributes these 'pure' and 'good' qualities of himself to his grandmother's influence.

It doesn't take long for Charlus's arrogance to come out though. He's quite obsequious at first but it doesn't take long for him to start acting superior. When M. Verdurin is getting in a muddle over the seating arrangements and calls him 'only a baron' he blusters 'I could see at a glance that you were out of your depth.' He also starts showing off his ancestry to everyone.

The thing that really struck me about the Verdurins' party was how offensive everyone was to each other: as mentioned Charlus to M. Verdurin; Cottard to M. Camembert (er Cambremer) over trional where Cottard refutes everything that the other says; Mme Verdurin bitching about everyone as usual, especially those that are no longer one of the faithful such as Swann or the dead Dechambre, but also the faithful as well; M. Verdurin's abusive treatment of poor old Saniette etc. I'm sure there are more, but why doesn't anyone take umbrage at these comments? I always got the idea from 19th century novels that they'd feel slighted at a funny look, let alone being verbally abused in public.

I guess they all deserve each other - they're horrible people but it's fun to read.

This week's reading works out quite well as it covers nearly all of the soiree at the Verdurins'. I sometimes wonder just why some of these people turn up to these dinner parties at all though. Presumably the narrator is there to see if Mme Putbus is attending (with her maid). He says that if she isn't then it will be safe to take Albertine there, but does it mean that if they were there then he would attend in future without Albertine...but then what would Albertine be getting up to when he's not keeping track of her?

And why does Charlus turn up? Presumably just so he can be with Morel I guess. I suppose it's somewhere he can be more relaxed than at the family shindigs.

In the part where they're all off to the Verdurins from the train station it's only the narrator who has any interest in the countryside and the views. Princess Sherbatoff thinks he's too enthusiastic and Cottard thinks he should take up knitting :-) as a sort of sedative...he! he!

I pointed out to the Princess every tree, every little house smothered in its mantle of roses, I made her admire everything, I would have liked to take her in my arms and press her to my heart.

The others just want to get to the food! This reminds me of people who've just returned from holiday and in reply to my question, "How was it?" will launch in to telling me what they ate!! Still it's nice to be outside for a brief period...it makes me realise how much of the novel takes place in salons and bedrooms.

Marcelita wrote: "Hum...no, that is not my favorite, but I do like Charlus' generosity and style in picking up Morel.
I have a grand scene in mind, which is coming up in a few weeks...with a side dish of pears. ..."

Sounds intriguing Marcelita...I think Sodom & Gomorrah may be my favourite volume so far! I get the feeling that Proust is writing in a more fluid way and he seems to be enjoying himself more.

Renato wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I recently (re)watched the films My Father's Glory & My Mother's Castle based on Marcel Pagnol's books. These are superb films (as well as Jean de Florette) and thoroughly recommen..."

I'm glad you liked them Renato. It was the Combray part in SW that made me think of them again. They're the sort of films that I could watch every five years or so. Sadly, I've never read anything by Pagnol though I have got a copy of The Water of the Hills here that I intend to read sometime soon - again these were made into brilliant films: Jean de Florette & Manon des Sources; but you've probably seen those? And the other day I watched another Pagnol-inspired film, The Well-digger's Daughter which was good but not as good as the others mentioned. What is it with these Marcel P's?

Dwayne wrote: "I'm struck here that this tableau of nature is so moving to the narrator -- I imagine it's probably because he lives in a world that is so full of posturing, performances and people generally saying or doing things ..."

I've just read a similar episode in week 08/02 where the narrator, whilst travelling in a carriage to the Verdurins', says 'I pointed out to the Princess every tree, every little house smothered in its mantle of roses, I made her admire everything...' She admits the country is picturesque but probably is not as impressed.

Wow! Cottard REALLY does like his 'Wednesdays' doesn't he?

One Wednesday, their old cook having cut open a vein in her arm, Cottard, already in his dinner-jacket to go to the Verdurins', had shrugged his shoulders when his wife had timidly inquired whether he could not bandage the wound: "Of course I can't, Léontine," he had groaned, "can't you see I've got my white waistcoat on?"

You wouldn't want him as your doctor, would you? At least, not on a Wednesday.

Dave wrote: "No you have missed nothing. Your initial reaction was the same as mine - and is effect that Proust intends - a very casual, offhand reference to Swann's death that might be missed by a casual reade..."

Is it something that seemed significant when you read it or nearer the end of ISOLT?

The sentences following this part suggests that Odette is partly afraid of Mme Verdurin and her rise. I can't remember now, but I thought Odette was still 'in' with the Verdurins even though she had a rival salon.

Dwayne wrote: "Hey everybody! I've fallen behind a bit. But I just finished The Heart's Intermissions and am really struck by it. Lots in there about all the themes I adore..."

I'm glad to see you're still with us Dwayne. You're not far behind us, so don't worry about that.

I'm only halfway through this week's reading, but my favourite quote, so far, is:

This rubicund youth, with his blunt features, appeared for all the world to have a tomato instead of a head.

The tomato-head twins, Tomato No. 1 & No.2...I had to laugh at this part. I feel that Proust is having quite a bit of fun with this volume. Do others feel the same way?

What are we to make of the 'unknown woman', as Proust-the-tease describes her several times, who is 'much more beautiful than Albertine'? She has eyes that 'scattered rays so geometrically luminous that one was reminded, on meeting her gaze, of some constellation.' She seems to already know Albertine...or is that just the narrator getting paranoid? Anyway, I suspect we'll find out more about her.

Renato wrote: "The entire section with Mademoiselle Marie Gineste and Madame Céleste Albaret was so good! The dialogues were so entertaining. Was Proust making fun of himself with some of those comments? Haha!..."

I really liked this little episode as well. In fact, I tend to like the episodes with the 'lower orders' such as Françoise, the lift-boy etc. I hope we can include Monsieur Proust in next year's reading...assuming we continue.

I expect Proust liked being talked about.

Thanks for the info and photo of Céleste, Marcelita. I imagined her much older.

Dave wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Dave wrote: "Has any mention been made of Swann's death? If so, any thoughts?"

Yes, wasn't Swann's death mentioned at the end of Guermantes Way? I found it interesting that when t..."

This weekend I shall probably skim over this week's reading before advancing on to next week's. I'll watch out for these questions Dave.

Dave wrote: "This probably should go last week, but what the heck. As the narrator grieves his grandmother's death he asks his mother for a copy of "Thousand and One Nights." Strange book for a man to ask his m..."

I'll have to admit that I didn't think there was too much significance with this except for the fact of the two editions - the older children's version and the more modern risque version. I'm intrigued now though. Why would it be strange to request it from his mother?

Dave wrote: "Has any mention been made of Swann's death? If so, any thoughts?"

Yes, wasn't Swann's death mentioned at the end of Guermantes Way? I found it interesting that when the narrator was having a chat with Swann at the Guermantes' shindig Swann almost downplayed his illness, almost to say it wasn't as bad as all that - I'd have to find the correct passage to back this up though. I wasn't sure if it was just Swann not wanting people to treat him differently or if his illness really wasn't so bad.