On this day, we commemorate the birth of Marcel Proust. Born on July 10, 1871, Proust is best known for his magnum opus, "À la recherche du temps perdu" (In Search of Lost Time). This novel delves into themes of love, relationships, society, paradigm shifts, happiness, and the good life, presenting a rich exposition of being. Through this work, Proust invites readers to live more beautifully, authentically, and deeply, presenting a uniquely Proustian humanism, or at least a sketch of a philosophy.
Proust is humorous, refreshing, and incisive, analyzing macro changes within a transitioning society while exploring granular aspects of philosophy, character sentiments, desires, motivations, psychology, aesthetics, practical wisdom, and social commentary on etiquette, culture, and identity through periods of internal and external upheaval. His meticulous attention to detail and ability to capture human emotion and experience align with my interest in understanding various models of the self. Issues of love, happiness, and mindfulness come to mind with ever-changing implications. Such passages invite informed discussions, perhaps later, on modern theories of cognition.
One lesson the narrator learns early in the novel is that good books provide wisdom that cannot be quickly or reliably obtained through experience and spontaneous action alone. Proust emphasizes the omnipresent role of creativity throughout the novel, with many characters having differing relationships with creativity and art.
The narrator’s relative, for instance, only exposes him to the best works of literature and art according to her taste. The narrator, after reading Bergotte and other authors, aspires to become a writer, is disheartened and gives up his dream in despair and, after a conversation with a diplomat, again resolves to become a writer, and tells the readers of his despair throughout the journey. M. Swann, one of the books interesting characters, seems to be a man of good taste, whom the narrator, at one point respected: he was working on an essay dedicated to a poet and, interestingly, transfers the desires engendered within him by art to his lover, whose face he did not initially like. M. Swan also has a soft spot for a musical phrase he hears at concerts. There are countless other instances, yet the point of this post isn't a thorough review, but a commemoration of the author who gave us the work. Another recurring theme is love, dealt with similarly to creativity.
Proust seems to observe all of the different ways love and creativity touch our lived reality, lives, and imaginations. Are these phenomena "positive" and tangible, like a river or a mountain? How do young love and youthful creativity of children compare with adult perspectives? These are some of the thought-provoking themes in the novel. The idea of subjectivity and its limits are ripe for discussion; for instance, we may ask, to what extent do we act like M. Swan, projecting our desires and dreams onto people without care for their actuality?
Many criticize Proust’s writing as unduly flowery. I disagree. Even as far as I have read, the book displays great range. Some scenes evoke a torrential crescendo of action similar to the thrill of reading Dostoevsky, with more microscopic examination into the thought process of the actor. While other times, Proust offers moments of hilarity, such as a remark by the narrator on Doctor Cottard. Then at still other times, introspection carries the reader towards profound shores --- which put up a mirror for those who are seeking to recover from, say, heartbreak or to better understand themselves or someone in their life. Those aware of, say, cognitive dissonance or the value of understanding psychology will appreciate Proust’s analysis of the narrator and other characters. And one can find existential accents decorating the conceptual plane, that invite a contemplation of what distinguishes an inauthentic life from an authentic lives.
Proust’s work is a testament to his literary brilliance and a celebration of life’s beauty and complexity. His richly drawn, profoundly human characters navigate the joys and sorrows of existence, in ways specific to the setting, yet universally relatable. Perhaps even helpful for those imagining what the future will hold as society continues to change along technological, environmental and cultural fault lines.
As we celebrate Marcel Proust’s birthday, we honor not just the man but the enduring legacy of his work. His contributions to literature have shaped our understanding of memory, identity, and the human experience. In an age where life’s pace often leaves little room for reflection, Proust’s writing reminds us of the importance of pausing, observing, and savoring our lives’ richness.
Today, let us remember Marcel Proust and the invaluable gifts he has given to literature. Let us open his books, immerse ourselves in his beautifully crafted sentences, and allow his words to inspire us to see our own lives with greater clarity, compassion and appreciation.
Happy Birthday, Marcel Proust. Your legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.
Here is a journal entry I wrote last month, in its unedited entirety:
As of June 23, 2024, I am on page 184 out of the 2550 page version of Proust’s, In Search of Lost Time. I think keeping a log would be beneficial since the work seems so interesting. Immediate remarks include this general theme of “remembering,” voluntarily or involuntarily. Through sense perceptions — of the madeleine — or through associations with the external world — as Deleuze apparently puts it through associations with signs — the narrator taps into states of being, states of consciousness, forms judgements and associations, and as most commentaries note, experiences the past with great vividness. We are, accordingly, invited to write about the current neuroscience of memories, consciousness and emotions. And how these might converse with the narrator’s account of things — and the conversation of “art,” being able to “rescue,” memories or experiences from “time,” which could be seen as entropy. So, that’s very exciting.
Long passage about Swann’s interest and ignorance of music on page 185, which may be an entry point to discuss Ram’s Nephew. Nice quote on the top of page 186. Maybe speaking to the experience of pleasure itself — remind me of the proper way to eat dessert — the two to three bite rule about dopamine — as the third time Swan heard the music, he was, according to the narrator, not as pleased, which is the important parallel between eating dessert and the passage, but in dire need still. Theme of insanity in a sonata —Going to stop at 194.
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