Unbearable Lightness of Being Quotes Essay Example

started rumbling. And it's no wonder; she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast besides a quick sandwich on the platform before boarding the train.

The narrator says that the protagonist had been focused on the risky journey she had ahead and had not thought about eating. However, when people disregard their bodies, they become more susceptible to its demands. She felt awful standing in front of Tomas as her stomach audibly expressed its hunger. She wanted to cry. Thankfully, after ten seconds, Tomas embraced her and helped her ignore the noises coming from her abdomen. The narrator suggests that Tereza's birth was a result of a situation that starkly exposes the incongruity between the body and soul, which is a fundamental experience for humans.

The narrator on page 40 expresses that Tereza took after her mother not only physically but also in the way she lived her life. The narrator compares Tereza's life to the movement of a ball on a billiard table being a continuation of a player's arm movement. On page 41, the narrator continues to highlight the influence of Tereza's mother, who constantly reminded her daughter that being a mother meant sacrificing everything. The narrator acknowledges the truth in these words, as they are supported by the firsthand experience of a woman who lost everything because of her child.

According to the narrator, Tereza's views on motherhood and the sacrifices it entails are highlighted on page 44. The narrator also presents Tereza as embodying her mother's decision to let go of her youthfulness. Moreover, on page 46, the narrator indicates that Tereza's behaviors and gestures resemble those of her extravagant and self-destructive mother. This explains

why Tereza often looks at herself in the mirror; it is a way for her to confront how her mother influenced her.

On page 47, the narrator expresses a longing for a unique and soulful body, one where the face reflects the depth of the soul. However, Tereza faces difficulty in achieving this as her timid and self-effacing soul remains hidden within her bowels, too ashamed to be seen. Despite this, books serve as a source of comfort for Tereza, symbolizing a secret brotherhood. They become her only weapon against the crude world that surrounds her. Novels specifically play a significant role in providing not just an imaginary escape from her dissatisfying life but also hold physical significance. Tereza takes pleasure in carrying a book under her arm while walking down the street.

According to the narrator on page 48, the significance of having an elegant cane for the dandy a century ago is comparable to how it differentiates her from others. On page 60, the narrator describes how in moments of weakness, she is willing to let go of her soul's crew and join her mother's friends. She also has a desire to do something that would prevent her from going back to Tomas.

On page 76, the narrator expresses a strong desire to brutally erase the past seven years of their life. They describe this feeling as vertigo, an overwhelming and irresistible urge to fall.