So far this week
we have discussed the dangers of “artistic expression” for those who produced
films, literature, and art during the totalitarian regimen, but we have not yet
discussed photography, and specifically Tereza’s in The Unbearable Lightness
of Being. Although Tereza is considered to be the most “fragile” in the
book, I would like to point out her immense strength and bravery as she risked her life to take the
pictures of the Russian soldiers, unafraid of the consequences. Kundera even goes as
far as to say that these days “were the best of her life”. I believe that this
is because her photography was her own personal form of “artistic expression”. When
she was focused on capturing these historical images nothing else really
mattered. An interesting quote I found by Hana Píchová says that Tereza “is
motivated by a determination to preserve a fleeting moment of history and
cultural memory”. I think that by capturing these ugly images of the Russian
soldiers, she is highlighting the negativity of the regimen (which was exactly
what the regimen was trying to suppress through its censorship). What do you
guys think?
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1 comment:
I agree completely. I believe that Tereza's photography was her escape. In class we put Tereza in the "heavy" category, but when she took these pictures she became "light." These photos were her release, she took pictures of the suppression so she could show the world was what really happening. When she was able to expose the soldiers she felt as if she was serving justice. I believe this is what gave her strength. She could shame the soldiers for their wrong doing through her photography, but at home she had no way of shaming Tomas for his. Tomas's affairs held her down, they were the weight that kept her down, but the pictures helped her up. She felt so light when she took her photographs, because they set her free.
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