Tereza's opinion on her body throughout the novel is very clear. She despises it because she feels that her body makes her like everybody else. To her, the human body is not a source of individuality and expression but rather a means of blending in and adhering to convention. In some ways, it is not her body itself that bothers Tereza but the underlying message of homogeneity that comes with her anatomy.
However, although I understand the basis for Tereza's notions, I have to disagree with her perception of the body. I would argue that the body is a means of individuality and self-expression rather than uniformity.
Although unfavorable, it can be agreed that one's first impression of another is almost entirely based upon physical characteristics rather than elements of the soul such as personality and character. If someone were to spot you in a crowd, they would solely base their perceptions of your identity off of details such as your clothing, mannerisms, and behavior. Furthermore, your identity is impacted by elements such as skin color In this way, elements of your physical appearance separate you from the rest of the crowd. If your shoelaces are untied and your hair is unbrushed, a stranger might characterize you as careless or disheveled.
This example also leads to another point made by Tereza. Tereza further expands upon her reasoning against bodies by describing the involuntary aspect of the anatomy. Of course, occurrences such as the rumbling of one's stomach are involuntary, but there are many aspects of one's physicality that can be controlled. Referring back to my previous example, shoelaces and hair are both characteristics that can be decided by a person and contribute to one's outward appearance.
Again, I understand Tereza'a viewpoint, but I also think it's important to note that there are more aspects, particularly aspects that can be controlled, which impact one's physicality and determine their individuality.
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I'd have to agree with you that I see where Teresa is coming from but, I can also see how our bodies make us individuals and allow us to express ourselves in our background. One thing that I believe may go well with this idea is skin color. Skin color can speak to every person background. Whether someone is pale white and from Ireland (I just finished watching the McGregor Mayweather fight btw) or dark black from South Africa, everyone's skin color can connect them to their country, family, and ethnicity. Everyone's skin color may not be completely different, but I believe skin color can help bring communities together and distinguish people from each other.
I see what both of you are saying. I think it's also important to remember that towards the end of the novel when Tereza has her affair, she recognizes the individuality of her body when she sees her birthmark; although she may still not feel totally comfortable in her body, her perception nevertheless evolves.
Another point I would like to bring up is that it seems part of the reason Tereza feels out of touch with her body is that she doesn't want to be judged by her body, but rather her soul. Even when she comes to understand the individuality of her body, she still seems to not fully accept it; perhaps she is thinking that even with her physical differences, most likely there is or has been someone in the world who shares that "difference," while her soul is truly unique. No one else can claim to have experienced an event exactly the way she has, to have the exact same thought process in all things, or to feel the exact way that she feels. In my opinion, it is our memories, experiences, and personalities that truly distinguish us from one another, and I say that having been told countless times that I look "exactly" like Chloe. When one of my friends is asked "How do you tell them apart?!" she says, "It's really not that hard. They have completely different personalities" (before explaining that we also do look different).
I think we see Tereza so frustrated with her body partly also because she feels that Tomas doesn't receive full satisfaction from her—and if she knows that her soul is unique, and he claims that he loves her, she reasons that it must be her body that is the "problem"; which makes sense, considering that Tomas only uses other women for sexual pleasure, not to make meaningful memories with them the way he does with Tereza. Maybe this feeling also stems from her childhood, because her mother only used her father for sexual pleasure and not because of love; and Tereza saw that this only led to resentment, not true contentment with another person.
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