Clarence Murray JrRealism11/11/2013WoertendykeLol Stein CritiqueThe Ravishing of Lol Stein is a novel written by Marguerite Duras in 1964. It follows the life of Lol Stein, a woman born in South Tahla who is left by her fiancé at the age of nineteen. This event is the catalyst for her shock and withdrawal from the world around her; though her childhood friend Tatiana would argue that her odd nature began much earlier. The narration of the novel switches between Jack, Tatiana's lover (who becomes obsessed with Lol), and Lol. Duras writes the part of Lol with an air of detachment, and yet captures her obsession and her interactions with Jack in a very sensual way. The result is a highly complicated novel that rejects a plot in favor of particulars that engross the majority of the work.In the second paragraph assigned, Lol alerts Jack to the fact that she saw Tatiana in his room, naked. Hearing this clea ...view middle of the document...
It's almost as if Tatiana being with her husband is more secretive. When reading the following sentence, it comes off as incredibly erotic. The "intensity of the sentence increases, and "the sentence explodes". (Duras, 106) A comparison of it to an orgasm could be incredibly off-base, but that is the way it truly seems to read. This could perhaps be a metaphor for his relationship with Tatiana; a short, passionate romp that is ultimately inconsequential. And more than anything, Jack seems to be a character of intense passion followed by incredible lethargy. In short, Tatiana is no longer a shiny new toy. There is no danger in being with her. Lol's flightiness intrigues the adventurer, daring him to conquer a new challenge and leave behind the conquered.In this way, the writing is definitely rejecting a plot and hinging itself on a meaning within the words themselves. One sentence doesn't seem to correlate to the next. For example, if we attempt to approach the sentence in a more direct fashion, we'd be left completely confused. What does it even mean for a sentence to explode? More importantly, how do we even get from Lol mentioning Tatiana to this? Trying to read this as a comprehensive narrative that follows a direct path is folly; each sentence and idea could very well be completely unrelated to the previous.The last sentence of the paragraph provides key insight into Jack's mindset regarding Tatiana. He hears (Lol's sentence) "with a deafening roar, and I fail to understand it, I no longer even understand that it means nothing". (Duras 106). This reinforces Jack's lackadaisical nature towards his relationship with Tatiana, and with his weariness towards his lifestyle in general. Given that he fails to even understand the significance of his and Tatiana's falling out gives credence to the idea that Tatiana isn't the first, and certainly not the last, in a chain of women who Jack conquers and leaves. But as mentioned, there's a sense of weariness that permeates the sentence. It isn't just that Jack is cognizant of the situation, but that he is so used to it happening that he is numb to it. In essence, he grows tired of the games he plays.
