Today, February 18th, is the one-year anniverary of this, my blog about Marcel Proust, his novel In Search of Lost Time, Paris, and anything else related (remotely or otherwise); in honor of same, here is a contest, with a prize, that I hope will appeal to readers of this blog, readers of the novel, lovers of all things Proust, and those in search of the longest sentence ever written on a blog concerning Marcel Proust, the City of Light, and literature in general but particularly, In Search of Lost Time, which in my humble opinion is the greatest novel of the Twentieth, or perhaps any, century, though others may beg to differ; however, they may host their own contest.
The Contest! I will present five questions, the answers to all of which may be found on these blog pages, as well as in the novel. If you know the answers to these questions, DON’T put them in the comments, please send them to me at marimann (at) cox (dot) net. Putting your answers in the comments discourages others, so please, email them to me. And to be fair, don’t google and/or otherwise search the internets for answers.
The Prize! A $25 Amazon gift certificate, for which the winner will have to send me their email to receive.
The Questions!
1. To what culture does the Narrator of In Search of Lost Time, during his description of his madeleine moment, ascribe this belief: “…that the souls of those we have lost are held captive…in some inanimate object…”
2. The Narrator never gives us a name for himself. By what name does Albertine, just one time, refer to him?
3. In The Guermantes Way, the Narrator says, “Everything great in our world comes from ___________________?
4. The madeleine in the cup of tea is the most famous instance of involuntary memory in the novel, but there are at least two more related by the Narrator. Describe two more that the Narrator experiences.
5. What is the name of the character who, “…gradually declined to leave, first Combray, then her house in Combray, then her bedroom, and finally her bed…”
The contest will end one week from today, on the 25th of February. Remember, email your answers to me: marimann (at) cox (dot) net. Answers left in the comments will be deleted and not entered into the contest. Bonne chance!
Madeleine Moments 