Milan Kundera’s The Festival of Insignificance

By vinodnarayan on October 30, 2017 • ( 0 )

Kundera’s 11th fictional work. The Story of the intersecting life of Alain, who has not seen his mother since his childhood; Ramon a retired intellectual; D’Ardelo, a narcissistic; and Charles and “Caliban” who operate a catering firm…

Marking the 40th book in my 50 Book 2017 challenge.

One specific part is etched in my mind with an extremely heavy philosophical tag. The imagination of Alain on why his mom left him as a kid. Alain imagines the various possibilities of his birth and his relationship with his mother.

One specific imagination is where his mom with Alain in her stomach tries to commit suicide as she does not want Alain. But is interrupted by a teenager who tries to rescue her and she in turn drowns him as he stands in between her and death. After that incident, knowing that she has taken the life of someone else she decides that it is unfair to commit suicide.

She touches her stomach and says that this life costed one death. So two life is rescued for the cost of one. For some reason that part really rattles ones inner self…..