Marcel Proust Puns

an parable from history for readers of r/redscarepod

Hello everyone!

I wanted to read Proust’s Sodom and Gomorrah from some months. My first thoughts were that Proust would describe about the ancient cities of the plains, the sins of their inhabitants and the wrath of the God. Well, I mean to say I expected a book involving the relation of men with the God.

I began reading it the night before the last night (the weather was stormy so I felt like reading about the God), I found the book was starting with the narrator watching for some M. de Charlus and then a very delightful relation was drawn between the laws of human society and the laws of vegetation, and to be honest at that time I really didn’t find it to be sexual, he described the impatience of pistil and to me it seemed a very fine personification.

However, after reading some eight to nine pages I had to leave it. Next day, I thought of knowing some background and something about the character Charlus, I was stunned to find that the book is about homosexuality. I couldn’t believe it, the book may involve some implicit themes of homosexuality and writer would have chosen it for some purpose (rather than just entertainment) but I contrived the book cannot be just on art, love and homosexuality (in the usual sense of those words), all the reviewers on goodreads have same thing to say: “love and homosexuality”.

I remember Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” was also called for the same description but when I read it it came out all very different. I want to add one more thing, I thought of Joyce’s Ulysses to be a recollection of Odysseus but it came out better than that, and I have this feeling that same will happen with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now, my request to you is that please provide a review of Proust’s Sodom and Gomorrah by writing what you thought would have been the aim of marvel when he was writing such a lengthy piece work.

u/girlsonabench, thanks for the pretty bookshop postcard, the cool quote sticker (I def can relate to book hangovers), and the info about The Tale of Genji (didn't know those facts about it).

u/bookworm02, thanks for the cute giraffe postcard and the cheetah fun fact. It was so perfect since cheetahs and giraffes are two of my fav animals and I didn't know about cheetahs' semi non-retractable claws.

u/sparrowspirit, thanks for the nice big card of Chicago--a city I've never been to but I'd love to visit one day. It sounds like you had a great time there; thanks for sharing with me.

u/ReinaKelsey, thanks for the beautiful postcard of Rocky Mountain National Park. One day I will hopefully make it to CO. I agree that life as a cat sounds pretty good.

u/BATTLE_METAL, thanks for the adorable Pusheen postcard. Such a cute little character that puts a smile on my face.

u/diffit, thanks for the cute "hi" card. I've heard of whoopie pies, but I'm not sure if I've ever had one. They sound great though! I will try to send you some FL sunshine if I can (it's way too hot here right now! lol)

u/RareExcitement, thanks for the gorge postcard of Nanny of the Maroons--I love the colors. Have you been to Jamaica? It's def on my bucket list.

u/RhapsodyTraveler, thanks for the lovely Monet card. I enjoyed the facts as well, and your handwriting is amazing.

u/eyescroller, thanks for the pretty and informative card about Viola Desmonds. It sounds like she was an amazing person, and I appreciate you introducing me to her and her accomplishments.

To all: have a fantastic Friday, a wonderful week, a marvelous (end of) May, and a sensational Spring!

Part I of In search of lost time by Marcel Proust.

“Perhaps the immobility of the things that surround us is forced upon them by our conviction that they are themselves, and not anything else, and by the immobility of our conceptions of them.”

Excerpt From: Proust, Marcel. “Swann's Way.” iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright.

He mentions this in the first pages, during thoughts about waking and sleep.

And you should know by now that these kind of thoughts are like catnip to me.

Reading Swann’s way I’m taken by the skill and simplicity with which the author writes. I’m reading it on an iPad. It seems that increasing the font size has made the words more note worthy and easier to understand and follow.

Has anyone else had this experience with books they’ve read? If not you should try it. Maybe it’s just me.

In any case Proust is a fluid author, embedding his description of Swann in the explanation of a scene on a dimmed front porch at night.

Usually I find that the classics take an effort to get into, but I’m already on page 27 and having a good time. Which is why I read books, after all.

Thank you beloveds for all of your happy mail.

gratitude...

Sending love and gratitude...❤️🌹✨