Essay Questions

What makes Proust fall for the wrong women every time he tries to enter into a relationship?

The main reasons why Proust is falling for the wrong women all the time is his combination of perfectionism and suspiciousness. He wants to get married to the perfect woman. He has set high standards and expectations of the woman he will marry. However, he fails to understand that getting a perfect woman requires patience and prayers. The reader realizes that that Proust’s moves towards luring women are reckless and in hurry. Instead of getting the perfect woman is yearning for, he ends up falling for strangers. For instance, when he falls for Albertine, he makes her a prisoner because he is jealous and does not want her to talk to anybody without his consent. Proust failed to realize that he fell for a flirt. She decides to leave secretly without his permission. Therefore, jealousy and perfection are the primary reasons why Proust is falling for wrong women most of the time.

How does Proust build the theme of recollection in his book In Search of Lost Time?

In the entire book, Proust struggles on how to connect his gorgeous past to the rest of the world. As a grown-up, he does not resist the urge to reminisce about his past. He tries to keep himself busy to avoid being immersed in his early days but the desire becomes even stronger. For instance, when he has done with taking a madeleine cookie, which is no different from what his aunt used to give him, he recalls all his infantile reminiscences against his willpower. His strong memories motivate him to put them down in a book so that he can share them with the rest of the world. Finally, Proust shares his memories to tell the world about the beauty of life in human existence.

Is sleeplessness used as a literary device symbol in the book In Search of Lost by Marcel Proust?

Proust uses sleeplessness as a symbol of suffering and chronic disorder. As a child, Proust finds it difficult to sleep until his mother aids him to do so. It is evident to the reader that Proust’s life journey is full of sentiments and imperceptible encounters that are likely to make him unsuccessful in life. Therefore, sleeplessness in this scenario represents Proust’s life struggles such as making wrong choices when looking for a life partner. He has suffered throughout his youthful life and now decides to remember the beautiful part of his life and share it with the rest of the world.