Conclusion: Au Revoir!

I can’t believe we’ve made it to the end! At the beginning of this course, I remember looking at the list of novels and wondering how they would shape my understanding of the “romance world.” Now that I’ve experienced such a diverse range of texts, I feel that I’ve gained insight into both how these works are written and common themes that connect them. 

In terms of style, some of the novels were definitely challenging and confusing. I found Combray and Faces in the Crowd especially difficult to follow. On the other hand, texts like Time of the Doves and Agostino felt more engaging. Despite these differences, one thing many of the novels share is their ambiguity. They invite interpretation rather than offering clear answers. For example, in Nadja, readers are left to decide whether Breton has descended into madness alongside Nadja or if he is actually experiencing surreal things. In Money to Burn, the characters’ backstories complicate our judgements. The Book of Chameleons asks us to consider the ethics of reinventing one’s past. Together, these works demand engagement, not just passive reading. 

In terms of themes, two stood out most to me. The first is memory. Many of the novels are shaped through the narrator’s fragmented recollections, which can make them difficult to follow but also very immersive. This is evident in Combray, where Proust reflects on his childhood, in The Shrouded Woman, where Ana María revisits key relationships in her life, and in Faces in the Crowd, where Luiselli reflects on her time as a young woman in New York. 

The second major theme I noticed is the way women are often manipulated, objectified, or hurt by men. This pattern appears repeatedly across the texts. In Nadja, Breton has an affair with a vulnerable, mentally ill woman. In The Shrouded Woman, Ana María is abandoned by Ricardo after becoming pregnant. In Agostino, the mother is objectified by a group of boys. In Time of the Doves, we witness the breakdown of Natalia and Quimet’s marriage. In Love Me Tender, Debré navigates the fallout of her family. The Lover presents a predatory relationship between a young girl and an older man. Wow, writing this out made me realize that this is definitely the most consistent pattern! 

Overall, I really enjoyed this course and how different it felt from my others. It encouraged creativity rather than rigid structure. In a world where organization is often prioritized, I loved having the space to explore ideas freely. 

Question for my peers: What is the most common theme you identified across the novels? 

Here's my final picture - I just think it's cute!