One Year In Search of Lost Time ~ 2015 discussion

This week, ending July 4th, is scheduled to end our read of The Guermantes Way.
Of course, everyone can progress as he likes, but it would be nice to finish and discuss this volume together soon!
This last part should also be relatively short, as it's less than 8% of the volume.

I was surprised at how short it was. I finished the section in one night, just reading it before sleep, usually it takes me two.

It's funny, after seeing the short relative size of this part and your assertion of its shortness, I sat down to read it in one go expecting it to end at any moment (my edition has a long appendix, i was only at 70% or so right at the end of Proust's text), and that made it feel longer than the other parts. This observation felt very Proustian, though Proust would probably make something more elaborate out of it ;)

Swann's illness is one of those rare dramatic events in the book, like the grandmother's death, and seems well placed at the end of this rather uneventful (though that in itself is not negative) volume.

I found Monsieur Charlus' raging friendship dismissal towards the narrator puzzling. As he was changing his emotional expression so often, sometimes in sweet and melanchonic tones between the raging, at the end even delaying Marcel's departure when before he said he couldn't even spare five more minutes for someone he didn't want to see again, i would in modern terms call this bipolar. This puzzling, intense behaviour definitely made for an interesting, refreshing read.

I found it a bit surprising that the narrator said he was disappointed by Madame de Guermantes, when a few pages before he explained her charm in her old-fashioned ways. But i guess he grew weary of that.

Overall, as i said before, i'm inclined to give this volume only three stars, as the saloon meetings were dreary, i guess proving Proust's point, but there were a lot of great ideas here too, and i'm looking forward to the next volume!

I also felt its 'lengthiness' at one point during a digression during Charlus' ranting. ;) But as usual with these sections, by the time I'm despairing of it, it's over.

Not only Swann's illness has me wondering about the next volume, but even more so does this passage:

Now this wait on the staircase was to have for me consequences so considerable, and to reveal to me a picture no longer Turneresque but ethical, of so great importance, that it is preferable to postpone the account of it for a little while by interposing first that of my visit to the Guermantes when I knew that they had come home.

Way to leave us hanging!

I too wondered about mental illness in the case of Charlus, or possibly even a 'grooming' of the narrator by what I think will be a lecherous old man. I don't trust him at all.

Oh, i had even forgot this foreshadowing quote, thanks for reminding me!
And that reminds me that there is another foreshadowing passage earlier, a "promise" of events that actually never gets fulfilled, as the annotation in my edition mentions: that the Duke de Luxembourg-Nassau would prove to be one of the best and finest people. I guess we will never hear of him again. Funny thing, maybe something Proust overlooked or edited out without removing this foreshadowing. Or maybe he's just playing games with our hearts.

Simon wrote: "Oh, i had even forgot this foreshadowing quote, thanks for reminding me!
And that reminds me that there is another foreshadowing passage earlier, a "promise" of events that actually never gets fulf..."

Ah, now that you say it, I do remember that. Now I can forget it again. ;)

Teresa wrote: "I also felt its 'lengthiness' at one point during a digression during Charlus' ranting. ;) But as usual with these sections, by the time I'm despairing of it, it's over.

Not only Swann's illness h..."

The Guermantes is my least favorite volume; however the "red shoes" passage is one I continue to re-read. Not only is it one of the most heartbreaking, but the layers...can take you off on tangents for days:
the invitation and the Duke's reaction, the Order of Saint John (Malta/Rhodes), knowledge of art-trading away the Elstirs for "A bad joke!" the Saint George of Venice, photography, fashion/colors, returning names-Brabrant, Vinteuil, Montjouvain, Legrandin and Charles Haas, calling card etiquette, the physical relationship between the Guermantes, the "death" references from food to the societal obligations to the relatives, balls and the significance of costumes, the Dreyfus Affair...and ending with the famous cry, "'You’re as strong as the Pont Neuf. You’ll live to bury us all!'" MP

The other beloved passage: the grandmothers' death, the role of medical doctors, Françoise's "code," the Narrator's lack of grief...are also memorable and will be revisited.

Arguably, the beginning pages of Volume 4 are the most unforgettable and significantly important in the whole novel. Envy you all...reading it for the first time.

I'm looking forward to volume 4 :) I have to say, I can't appreciate all the names, the Saint John Order, etc that much yet, because I didn't get to connect much with these names. But I hope one day I'll reread and immerse myself in ISOLT anywhere near as much you, Marcelita, and that I'll be able to appreciate it all.
I agree with you that The Guermantes Way is my least favourite volume so far, and i was surprised about all the 5-star reviews on goodreads and statements that it was their favourite volume in ISOLT. I didn't understand Manny's review either, who said that he found Madame de Guermantes extremely witty and funny, but that Proust overanalyzed and took apart her wit. Maybe i missed something, but i found most Guermantes saloon attendants dreary from the start. But again, maybe I'll be able to appreciate that more on a reread, and the first read is a wonderful adventure.

Simon wrote: " I didn't understand Manny's review either, who said that he found Madame de Guermantes extremely witty and funny, but that Proust overanalyzed and took apart her wit."

I don't know Manny all that well, but from the little bit I've read of his reviews, he seems to greatly appreciate wordplay and puns. As that is not my thing at all (and doesn't seem to be Proust's either), my reaction was more like yours, Simon.

Simon wrote: "I found it a bit surprising that the narrator said he was disappointed by Madame de Guermantes, when a few pages before he explained her charm in her old-fashioned ways. But i guess he grew weary of that."

Up to this point, when has he not he been disappointed by something (or someone) he desired for so long? :-)

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Just finished my second read of this volume. I have to say I ended up enjoying it even more than I had already before and the social scenes weren't as boring as I remembered them.

Renato wrote: "... the social scenes weren't as boring as I remembered them."

My guess is that they read quicker the second time around, Renato? I found that to be the case just rereading separate sentences. I guess that's because once you've read them once, you know where they're going. ;)

Yes, that's what i suspect and hope for an eventual reread, too!

Yes, much quicker, Teresa! I remember absolutely dreading the whole Courvoisier vs. Guermantes description and thought it lasted like 70 pages, but this time it went by much faster.

Marcelita wrote: "Arguably, the beginning pages of Volume 4 are the most unforgettable and significantly important in the whole novel. Envy you all...reading it for the first time."

Marcelita, so nice to read of you again. I hope you're doing well! :-)

Oh yes, the beginning of Vol. 4 is simply wonderful! You guys are in for a treat!

As everyone has mentioned the salon chatter and Courvosiers vs. Guermantes descriptions were a little blah to me too, but this small section offered a lot of action in comparison! I was very entertained with Charlus and his mad ranting and shocked at Swann's admission that he was dying. I was noticing, and enjoying, that he was starting to be mentioned again towards the end of this book, so I'm a little sad to read that he may not make it through the rest of the volumes.

During Charlus' ranting, I was startled by the anger our narrator displays when he stomps on Charlus' hat -- another little clue to his personality.

Good point! If I was in his position, I can imagine being shocked or trying to defend myself if I'd done nothing wrong, but looking around trying to figure out what to smash is a little over the top. Granted every move in that scene seemed a little over the top.

Steph wrote: "Granted every move in that scene seemed a little over the top."

It was fun, though, wasn't it. ;)

It's one of my favorite scenes! I couldn't put the book down and read it so fast! Charlus for best character! :-P

My fellow Proustians tend to slip into "the grandmother/mother/Mme de Sévigné-mode."
"He was so angry he could have torn up a hat."

Proustians understand how angry; non-Proustians are perplexed.

I've finally finished this volume, which means I'm now almost a volume behind the group - but hoping to get through volume 4 more quickly and catch up. I must admit that in this volume I found the dinner-party conversations a struggle and therefore stalled quite a few times.

The meeting with Charlus and the "red shoes" passage are both superb though - I loved your description of that passage, Marcelita, and feel it is one I will return to too.

Nice to hear from you Judy, and good luck with the next volume! I think overall there are less dinner parties in there (although there are some), but there are many many superb passages as well that make it all worth it.

Thank you, Simon - I'm enjoying volume 4 very much so far.