What it's all about

Welcome to my blog!! Join me on a 365-day journey of discovery and "re-discovery" as I take up the monumental challenge of reading one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written, and in French!!
The idea was spurred by Julie Powell's "Julie & Julia" and my somewhat crazy idea to supplement my Rosetta Stone French lessons by reading Proust's "In Search..." in the original French.
Several people have looked askance (perhaps also entertaining the idea of getting me one of those nice white jackets with the sleeves that tie in back...) and said, "You've NO idea of what you're getting yourself into."
Well! Let me say that if you know exactly what you're getting into then you're NOT having an adventure. And I mean to have a GREAT adventure!!
I've absolutely no idea where this will lead, but then again, that's really the idea, isn't it?
If you've ever thought about reading this amazing work, but been intimidated by its sheer gargantuan proportions, then by all means, please join me and perhaps you'll learn a bit along the way about the fascinating man that Proust was, the times in which he lived, and perhaps find your own inspiration to pick it up anew and dive in!!
Bienvenue à m'aventure! Allons-y!!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Day 27: Bientôt les madeleines!!

Well, I must say I am proud of myself: I've read 54 pages in 27 days - twice as far as I expected to get! Those first 20 pages or so were rough!! Now, at least, we are out of the hallucinogenic poppy field and into the Emerald City, as it were, and my brain feels less like that of the Straw Man!! Now, if only the Wizard could insert the entire French language into my brain!!

I am exactly one page, ONE, UNE, from the famous madeleine scene! And drat if I don't have  a full day assisting in surgery tomorrow...But that's OK - I am off Friday and will be heading out to get my madeleine pans and some high quality butter!! You will wish that you were here with me, as the house becomes redolent with the scent those warm, luscious little cakes, fresh out of the oven... I promise to take pictures! I know.... a lot of good that will do. You will just have to bake your own :-)

So, what is happening in the book at this point...
He has now begun unveil about his theory that we cannot retrieve the past by voluntarily summoning it from our memory, our "voluntary memory, the memory of the intellect...which preserves nothing of the past itself..." The only way for the past to be revived in any "real" way is purely by chance. We may get a sudden glimpse of it unexpectedly, but if we then consciously try to reel it in, the harder we try, the further away it gets. Like something on the tip of the tongue - the harder you try to get it to come out, the further it recedes; only letting go and allowing it to come back spontaneously ever seems to work, but not always.

Try thinking of something from your childhood, some event or person, or thing that had special meaning for you, and see if, by using "voluntary" memory, you experience the same feelings you did then. I'm betting that you won't, as I think M. Proust was onto something here. 

More on this soon, après les madeleines!

À bientôt,
-Michel  







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