The Unbearable Lightness of Being: Body and Soul (pp. 37-79)
Although they are physically united in an erotic partnership, Tomas and Tereza possess very different attitudes about love and relationships. Their differing perspectives are summed up in the subtitle of Section 2 of Kundera's novel, "Body and Soul." Tereza wants to possess Tomas, body and soul, and Tomas wishes to yield neither completely to Tereza. In the second section, Tereza is first characterized in terms of her hunger; her rumbling stomach represents her insatiable physical craving for Tomas. "When we ignore the body we are more easily victimized by it" (39). Tereza has long been ignored by people in her life, by her parents, by friends. Tomas, in contrast, has a strong sense of identity in his artistic gifts, and views his past romantic difficulties with cool, almost clinical detachment. His memory of his failed marriage leaves little impact upon his current existence; he seems to regard it as insignificant, while Te
reza is almost entirely defined, and consumed by her relationship with others. Tomas has no emotional feelings for the past or present, but Tereza is consumed by emotions, about the past, present and future. Tereza's scream is really an expression of frustration at her inability to be totally unified with any human being, including Tomas. She wishes to become one with Tomas, and together they seem to share one soul, are even said to be "humiliated by his humiliation" during an uncomfortable moment as if they possess one body (71). No erotic friendship can satiate her-she wants to possess another human being, and to be possessed by another human being completely and utterly on a spiritual level that transcends being mere, physical lovers, transcends even what someone can expect of a marriage. Tomas is incapable of caring so completely and totally for anyone. Tereza's past was defined by absence and hunger, while Tomas' past is defined by detachment. Tereza's father was emotionally absent, then dead: "the most manly of men became the most downcast" and expired (41). Because of her gender, and her mother's rejection, and her father's early distance and death, Tereza comes to her relationship with a deep, profound spiritual need, empty not just of food but of a secure sense of self, not even having a "right to shame" and dignity (57). Thus Tereza's hunger for Tomas is complete and paralyzing because he seems like the first person who has truly cared about her, ever in her life. Tereza, unlike Tomas who has the security of his identity as a male and a musician, lacks such a sense of personal integrity. Tereza's longing for Tomas makes her forget about food and when her stomach rubles in his presence, she feels "as though she were carrying her mother in her stomach and her mother had guffawed to spoil her meeting with Tomas," by making the nakedness of her need so apparent and "crude" (53). From a young age, Tereza has been taught that being a mother, being a woman in love means "sacrificing everything" and to be a woman, a daughter was "Guilt," personified with a capital G (45).
Common topics in this essay:
Soul Tereza,
Tomas Tereza,
,
body soul,
past defined,
tereza's scream,
tereza possess,
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