Reading Proust in the Sauna: Repetitive People

Today I won't use a quote. Instead, we'll reflect on something Proust does extremely well in Swann's Way. He captures really subtle aspects of characters that makes me think: wow, I know that person!

The aspect that I really like is how repetitive people are. The main character's grandmother has these little ways of speaking that take on great significance in the novel.

The first time we see this is with how she knows everyone in Combray, and if she sees someone she doesn't know, she says she "doesn't know him from Adam."

It becomes a bit of mean joke in the beginning, where the narrator intentionally says it, probably because this repetitiveness of a strange phrase can get tedious and annoying in real life.

Another way she manifests this repetitiveness is that if the family is late to visit, she always says "you must have taken the Guermantes way." This is in contrast to "Swann's way" (the title of the book!) which is a shorter, yet still scenic route, that goes by the estate of Swann.

I relate to these moments so deeply, because I can recall going to my relatives during holidays, and they only knew one or two things about me. This meant they'd always talk about this or ask me about these things, even long after they were over.

I used to get so annoyed at this repetitiveness, so the narrator's reactions seem perfectly understandable to me. It's strange how vividly reading these scenes bring back my own memories.

I've learned as I get older that it's very hard to keep track of everything. My relatives weren't trying to be annoying. They were trying to be engaging. This repetitiveness was an act of generosity and kindness.

They had taken an interest in what I was doing and committed that to memory so that they could relate to me.

I see this very much in the grandmother character. It comes across as a bit harsh and judgmental, but she's doing it out of a place of caring. She remembers this is a reason they might be late, and so she says it to spark conversation about what they might have come across on the beautiful scenic Guermantes way.

I should try to keep this in my mind for the next time I find someone being repetitive.