Malina Compendium- Mirza
Moves In the Prose/ Effect of the Prose:
- Page 5: "For years my relationship with Malina consisted of awkward meetings, absolute follies, and the biggest possible misunderstandings... and I must have known early on that he was destined to be my doom, that Malina's place was already occupied by Malina even before he entered my life..." The effect of this passage: Immediacy & inevitability. It has a gravity to it. Because there is a gravity between what is being described, the prose itself begins to feel momentous, like it has gravity too.
- "urgent tranquility" - Unexpected pairing of words. Contradictory. Pleasurable because of this.
- "I don't know what else was there, since I left with him immediately.." (12) Think not only of what a character notices, but also of what a character does not notice. What they do not remember, what they do not see. Especially if they are aware of not knowing/noticing. Think of the reason they do not notice.
- "... as long as Ivan's phone is ringing in the darkened apartment;" Think of specifics. The effect this has on the reader. Not only is a phone ringing, but it is ringing in a darkened apartment. Something about inclusion is very pleasurable, tangible.
Thoughts:
- Page 1. Odd way of introducing characters to the reader. "The Cast"
- The narrator is not a woman who thinks like me, or a woman whose approach to life and love I can agree with. At times, it is disturbing. Obsessive. But she is so convincing that I love inhabiting her world, it is so clear and vivid.
- As Part One progresses, I grow tired of her reticence.
- At times, the prose is wonderful, at times excessive. Very similar to the thoughts of the narrator: at times, wonderful, other times, excessive.
- Her attention to detail, noticing everything, I both love and hate her for this. At least I am reacting to it.
- Though her attraction/love for Ivan is obsessive and disturbing at times, it reveals something that is within all of us, at some level. ex. "I would like Ivan to need me like I need him"
-It feels like reading a novel where the narrator is limited to their world, in some way, but they describe it all accurately, and from what they say we glean the nature of their lives. Like children who write honestly and depict their world and, from the clues, we realize it is about domestic violence, etc.
- This book is exhausting. She is a complete narrator, but so deep, deep, into her own thoughts, thoughts that are at times disturbing or seem to go on and on, that it can be very draining, if one is concentrating very carefully.
- At first, I was thrilled to be in this woman's perspective. She payed such close attention to the people whom she cared for, and the world she inhabited. I appreciated how deep we were into her thoughts. But the more I read the more I found myself horrified and exhausted by experiencing this book with her as a narrator. It made me uncomfortable at times.
Lovely Lines:
- "Whoever has composed an intensely fervent letter only to tear it to shreds and throw it away... "
- "There is no doubt that Vienna has much prettier streets.. and evoke the same response that overly beautiful women do: they are duly admired, but who would even consider approaching them?
- Amazing. On encountering his old residence. " feeling oppressed and guilty, like a dog with a new master when he runs into his old one and doesn't know who deserves the most affection."
- "surrounded by the halo of mutual consideration."
- "Because for too long I have been alive without really living."
- "and Ivan immediately reads the weather report from my face: clearing, sunny , a warm front, cloudless skies, five continuous hours of beautiful weather."
Passages:
- Page 13 & 14. Absolutely amazing.
Things that can help me with life/my writing:
- Page 15. A woman who knows how she acquired certain scars ( not physical) but cannot remember them. Beautiful writing here. "You still can't, not yet, there's so much upsetting you)... In writing-- something compelling about being given a hint towards something that we know will be unearthed later.
- Page 17- and the helplessness increases following the... ( correlation drawn between helplessness and a violation of a person's self/privacy/rights, etc.)
- Page 18. On body. "At last I am able to move about in my flesh as well, with the body I have alienated with a certain disdain, I feel how everything inside is changing, how the muscles free themselves from their constant cramps..."
Dialogue:
Ivan says: Let's hope it'll be a book with a happy ending.
Let's hope so.
Words:
- syncopate
- untenable
- tremulous - Beautiful word! ah!
- portend
Moves In the Prose/ Effect of the Prose:
- Page 5: "For years my relationship with Malina consisted of awkward meetings, absolute follies, and the biggest possible misunderstandings... and I must have known early on that he was destined to be my doom, that Malina's place was already occupied by Malina even before he entered my life..." The effect of this passage: Immediacy & inevitability. It has a gravity to it. Because there is a gravity between what is being described, the prose itself begins to feel momentous, like it has gravity too.
- "urgent tranquility" - Unexpected pairing of words. Contradictory. Pleasurable because of this.
- "I don't know what else was there, since I left with him immediately.." (12) Think not only of what a character notices, but also of what a character does not notice. What they do not remember, what they do not see. Especially if they are aware of not knowing/noticing. Think of the reason they do not notice.
- "... as long as Ivan's phone is ringing in the darkened apartment;" Think of specifics. The effect this has on the reader. Not only is a phone ringing, but it is ringing in a darkened apartment. Something about inclusion is very pleasurable, tangible.
Thoughts:
- Page 1. Odd way of introducing characters to the reader. "The Cast"
- The narrator is not a woman who thinks like me, or a woman whose approach to life and love I can agree with. At times, it is disturbing. Obsessive. But she is so convincing that I love inhabiting her world, it is so clear and vivid.
- As Part One progresses, I grow tired of her reticence.
- At times, the prose is wonderful, at times excessive. Very similar to the thoughts of the narrator: at times, wonderful, other times, excessive.
- Her attention to detail, noticing everything, I both love and hate her for this. At least I am reacting to it.
- Though her attraction/love for Ivan is obsessive and disturbing at times, it reveals something that is within all of us, at some level. ex. "I would like Ivan to need me like I need him"
-It feels like reading a novel where the narrator is limited to their world, in some way, but they describe it all accurately, and from what they say we glean the nature of their lives. Like children who write honestly and depict their world and, from the clues, we realize it is about domestic violence, etc.
- This book is exhausting. She is a complete narrator, but so deep, deep, into her own thoughts, thoughts that are at times disturbing or seem to go on and on, that it can be very draining, if one is concentrating very carefully.
- At first, I was thrilled to be in this woman's perspective. She payed such close attention to the people whom she cared for, and the world she inhabited. I appreciated how deep we were into her thoughts. But the more I read the more I found myself horrified and exhausted by experiencing this book with her as a narrator. It made me uncomfortable at times.
Lovely Lines:
- "Whoever has composed an intensely fervent letter only to tear it to shreds and throw it away... "
- "There is no doubt that Vienna has much prettier streets.. and evoke the same response that overly beautiful women do: they are duly admired, but who would even consider approaching them?
- Amazing. On encountering his old residence. " feeling oppressed and guilty, like a dog with a new master when he runs into his old one and doesn't know who deserves the most affection."
- "surrounded by the halo of mutual consideration."
- "Because for too long I have been alive without really living."
- "and Ivan immediately reads the weather report from my face: clearing, sunny , a warm front, cloudless skies, five continuous hours of beautiful weather."
Passages:
- Page 13 & 14. Absolutely amazing.
Things that can help me with life/my writing:
- Page 15. A woman who knows how she acquired certain scars ( not physical) but cannot remember them. Beautiful writing here. "You still can't, not yet, there's so much upsetting you)... In writing-- something compelling about being given a hint towards something that we know will be unearthed later.
- Page 17- and the helplessness increases following the... ( correlation drawn between helplessness and a violation of a person's self/privacy/rights, etc.)
- Page 18. On body. "At last I am able to move about in my flesh as well, with the body I have alienated with a certain disdain, I feel how everything inside is changing, how the muscles free themselves from their constant cramps..."
Dialogue:
Ivan says: Let's hope it'll be a book with a happy ending.
Let's hope so.
Words:
- syncopate
- untenable
- tremulous - Beautiful word! ah!
- portend
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