The Shrouded Woman Analysis

 I thought that the narration of the story being told from the perspective of a dead woman was a very interesting take. I have never read a text told that way, through the eyes of the deceased. I enjoy reading stories about romance and loss (of love, of a person) so I enjoyed this read. I've scrolled through my classmates blog posts and it was interesting to see that most of them have also enjoyed this reading the most. There are many things about this story that make it such a beautiful and interesting read.

This story feels very intimate and personal, almost as if reading a diary. I found that this made it very enjoyable to read in a way that the other readings were unable to captivate my attention, despite a somewhat similar style. It was beautiful to read how Ana María reflected upon her life, her love and happiness, but also her sadness and regrets. She feels love in both its beauty and its agony. She holds both happiness and resentment in her relationships throughout her life. Ana shared very vivid memories of her childhood and her teenage years with her first love. The way in which the narrator describes death is different than most ways in which death is depicted. Instead of being plunged into darkness, Ana reflects upon her life and openly accepts what is coming. The story depicts life and death as being more intertwined than many people realize. In Ana's reflections, she focuses on the meaningful relationships and events in her life, not insignificant things that we worry about daily. By the time she passes, she is ready to be at peace and not in denial. 

With the other readings, I have found there were times that I was upset with the way that women were being depicted. It was a nice change of pace to read something written by a woman about the real experience of being a woman in those days. It was refreshing to see a woman written as a person, and not a placement for the male narrator to objectify or imagine. She is a daughter, a mother, a wife and many other things more important than a visual being for a man. 

My question is: why was this depiction of death and peace so much more impactful than most other writings? What about the framework of the story allowed the description of death to be so effective?

Comments

  1. Jennifer Nagtegaal31 January 2022 at 13:31

    Greetings, Madi! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and reactions to Bombal's book. To answer your (first) question, I think it may have to do with the fact that, as Jon mentions in his lecture, this was so very unexpected, especially from the "periphery" of this cutting-edge literary movement!

    And, you mentioned that
    "Ana shared very vivid memories of her childhood and her teenage years with her first love." - I'd love to hear which for you was the most impactful!

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  2. Sophia Cinelli31 January 2022 at 14:42

    Hi Madi!
    I like what you said about how the author did not depict the idea of death as something to look down upon, but rather using it as a tool to reflect. I think that in Ana-Maria's life, there were many things she regretted, but the author shows that in order to be at peace, you must let go of the regret.

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  3. Daisy31 January 2022 at 17:56

    Hi Madi,

    I enjoyed your post. I often find myself reading your blogs and agreeing with so much of what you say! I completely agree with the positive feeling associated with having the author of text be a woman. It is frustrating to read texts where women really aren't valued or seen for what they bring...To answer your question, I have never read another novel where the Narrator is dead but I do think that this particular text feels this sense of peace was because when she died, it freed of her of her these unpleasant relationships. There was no more front to put on for others so this must in turn provide peace for her and allow her to emit that through her writing.

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  4. Jasmine31 January 2022 at 21:33

    I think that death is a prevalent element in this story, and arguably, a defining character, because of the fact that the death is in the very beginning. In the other two readings, the 'end' was something abstract that may or may not be mentioned, or that was missing same as the plot. Death also alters our perspective in 'what happens next', because we know death is an inevitable character in this story, it alters what we think we should expect.

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