Book Review: The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Title: The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Author: Milan Kundera; translated from Czech by Michael Henry Heim
Publisher: HarperPerennial
Reviewed by: Patrick Wong
You probably have at least heard about this title before
already. It has a companion movie which in my opinion no way
comes close in comparison to how good this book is.
It is a rather literary book which style of writing is
refreshing. And its subject is dealing with a love story and
how the 'lightness' and 'heavy' aspects of existence affects
it. You might need me to explain what is 'lightness' and
'heavy' here.
Basically, events never repeat so that it is in transitory nature is light; events that are going to take on eternal repetition is heavy. Therefore 'light' events are ephemeral and inconsequential, while the most trivial 'heavy' events will crush us under its weight. In love, we long to be weighed down. That heaviness of burden is an image of life's most intense fulfillment. Because our existence in this world is 'light', this becomes the conflict with love.
Tomas and Tereza are the lovers in the story. Although Tomas' love towards Tereza is 'heavy', he cannot stop himself from taking numerous 'light' sexual encounters. While Tereza knows what is going on with Tomas. She is unwilling to accuse Tomas because after all how can she accuse something that is ephemeral. She is not facing up to her true feeling. Along these lines, the life and love story of Tomas and Tereza develops.
Although it is a love story, I believe the true message in the novel is about the cruelty of the fortuity and transient nature of our existence while there is an eagerness for eternity.