The Time of The Doves
This book was a great read but also was very challenging due to the subject matter. “The time of the doves” is considered as a classic of Catalan literature and provides an incredible insight into daily life during the Spanish Civil War. Through the mesmerizing voice of Natalia, often called Colometa, we witness a young woman's heart-wrenching journey of hardship, loss, and resilience.
The novel opens at the vibrant Diamond Square, where the simple act of dancing with the domineering Quimet marks a turning point in Natalia's life. From the suffocating domesticity of her marriage and the birth of children to the devastating shortages and betrayals brought on by war, we witness how large-scale historical events forever warp her life.There's a theme of quietly defying expectations. Natalia doesn't have grand ambitions, she just wants a life not ruled by fear and hunger. The fact that she keeps fighting back against those giant forces is what makes the book so powerful.
The novel's title, "The Time of the Doves," also provides some symbolic relevance. Initially, doves represent peace and domesticity for Natalia. Later, as her life spirals into hardship, the doves become suffocating, even monstrous creatures that embody her oppression. Her attempts to escape them reveal her desperate longing for freedom and self-determination.
Rodoreda's writing was excellent - full of imagery and really allowed you to infer greater depth. The author also often used a very fast paced style of writing - we are left to feel almost breathless through the rapid prose. We really feel the urgency and stress of the situations in which Natalia finds herself. The same symbolism that was mentioned above manifests itself in these other areas of the text as well.
I really thought this novel provided great insight and really gave a great picture of what life was like during the civil war. I also thought there was an interesting feminine perceptive, so often books about times of war focus on male perspectives and it was refreshing to read a book that focused on what life was like for women during this period.
To leave you with a discussion question: How do you think Rodoreda’s writing impacted your understanding of the story? Would you have made the same stylistic decisions?
'The novel's title, "The Time of the Doves,"''
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think of the other titles this book has in English translation? (I mention them in the lecture.) How do they make us think differently about the book?
I also wonder about the second half of the novel, which you don't mention here, which takes place *after* the civil war. What does the novel have to say about post-war Barcelona, and how does Natalia's story develop?
Hello, I enjoyed reading your blog post! I agree with what you said about Rodoreda's writing being fast paced and allowing us to feel the urgency of Natalia's situations. To your question, I think Rodoreda's writing was really helpful in my understanding of the story because I found the kind of stream of consciousness easy to follow and very insightful into what Natalia was thinking and feeling. I think I would make the same stylistic decision.
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