Tag Archives: The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Wow. Looks like the last third of the book is going to be the best.  Okay, so I flipped through and scanned to see what was coming up and realized that before we get into the sex, we have to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Kundera has a novel way of developing his characters. The protagonist of the novel, Tomas, was rather briefly explained in the beginning chapters, mainly through his interaction with other characters such as Tereza and Sabina. What was painted of Tomas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I seem to have a knack for reading the right book at the right time, where its relevancy to current events can be easily seen. Although it’s more probable that my memory–which was never good at best–only retains the most … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Tomas has made a major decision in remaining with Tereza. In making that decision he has chosen a path. Now he faces another major decision, that of retracting a statement against the authorities that will cost him his position at … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ah, you take a break and the thoughts continue on in hypertext threads to another universe of ideas: applying the principle of weight/lightness that Kundera is giving us. Using the passages of the book noted in the prior post, let’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I knew that Tomas’ reflections on political responsibility was heading somewhere and so stopped at a point where I can switch direction along with him: But, he said to himself, whether they knew or didn’t know is not the main … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Finally back to reading and I come upon a passage that reminds me so much of the upcoming presidential election: Anyone who thinks that the Communist regimes of Central Europe are exclusively the work of criminals is overlooking a basic … Continue reading → Continue reading →

As with Marquez, Kundera is focusing on human nature and interaction in this novel of love and betrayal. Even the war in the background is a part of the theme, as battle is the cause or reaction to action borne … Continue reading →

Just as Sabrina’s decision to leave Franz brought her a freedom and lightness that proved a burden more unbearable than the weight of a relationship, Tereza’s attitude towards infidelity changes her dreams and her perception of freedom. The man raised … Continue reading → Continue reading →

There was a very interesting look into Sabina’s life after her decision to leave Franz, and we can see how perception is tangential to our choices of course or path. Kundera leaves Sabina after making a stunning announcement about Tomas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

For some reason I find myself misplacing Tomas, Franz, and Sabina in time. While it’s approximately taking place in the late 60s, I get the feeling from the emotional state of the characters that it takes place in an earlier … Continue reading → Continue reading →

As Kundera brings us into the heads of Sabina and Franz to show us how experience brought to a new scenario affects the perception of the viewer, we come to an interesting philosophical question on truth: What does it mean … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Barthes’ theory of the reader "writing" the book takes into account not only experience that persuades perception but I would think that it covers as well the historical time in which the words are read.  This particular passage, relating Sabina’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Kundera makes clear his metaphor of musical composition for a lifetime, and several times he has reinforced the image if not outright making it a clear statement. My own inclination is to often call all creative forces "art" and so … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I realize that as a hypertext enthusiast and writer I look for these things in other areas of life, but I don’t think that it can be denied that the past produces the present and so some form of primitive … Continue reading → Continue reading →