 | One of the best
rating: 5
This is a beautifully written tale of how a good person can deceive himself (or herself) and do great damage. It is as good an examination of self centeredness and the suffering it causes as any Buddhist text (I'm a 19 year Chan and Tibetan practitioner) and a gorgeous peice of literature besides.
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A fascinating novella
rating: 4
The 60 or so pages of 'La Symphonie Pastorale' was all that Andre Gide needed to offer us a beautifully rendered account of the passions of a rural, Protestant minister, and their affects on him and those around him.
Gide's novella circles around the aforementioned minister and his 'Christian Mission' to take in and educate a blind, mute girl who lives in his parish. Gide provides an interesting reflection on the clash that occurs when optimistic Christian idealism comes head to head with the realities of life. The zealotry of this good samaritan is brought crashing down to earth when his ambitions are expressed to his exasperated wife and his less than enthusiatic family.
What proves more interesting however is Gide's development of the relationship between the minister and the young blind girl. The affection that develops in the heart of the minister forges parallels with Vladimir Nabokov's 'Lolita', however Gide develops this bond in a different manner. This closeness is on far more of an emotional and spiritual level and does not have the lascivious or explicitly sexual leanings of Nabokov's novel.
Gide's talents in respect of both depth of character and richness of prose, are well exemplified in this very attractive novella. For those interested in reading Gide, 'La Symphonie Pastorale' is a perfect starting point.
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Un émouvant roman
rating: 5
Un roman émouvant avec un amour difficile, voire impossible, entre le narrateur, pasteur dans le Jura, et une orpheline aveugle, Gertrude. Le pasteur rencontre Gertrude dans une ferme. La jeune femme se trouve dans un état physique lamentable et le pasteur décide de l'emmener chez lui pour faire son éducation. Il passe beaucoup de temps avec elle, lui apprend à lire. Le mécontentement de sa femme Amélie va grandissant : elle reproche au pasteur de s'occuper davantage de Gertrude que de ses propres enfants. Il n'échappe pas à Amélie que bientôt le pasteur développera un sentiment plus que paternel pour Gertrude. Lorsque Gertrude va recouvrer la vue, sa relation avec le pasteur court vers le désastre.
Un des meilleurs romans d'André Gide.
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rating: 2
The 1947 Nobel Laureate in literature Andre Gide (1869-1951) wrote this short story in 1919. It is considered to be a lyrical prelude to his major novel "the Counterfeiters", published seven years later. This story is similar to "the Counterfeiters" in a way that it explores the falsehood that exists in the relationships between people.
The story tells about a rural pastor, who adopts, out of mercy, an orphaned girl, whose condition is further aggravated by the fact that prior to becoming an orphan, she had been living with an elderly and somewhat deaf aunt; therefore, she is not adept in understanding the language that people speak and the connection that exists between words and perceptions. The pastor undertakes the responsibility of educating the blind girl - her name is Gertrude - in accordance with the methods that are used to educate the blind. At the same time, the relationships within the pastor's family grow complex ...
This story is a rebellion against rigours of religious postulates. At one time it enjoyed a great popularity in author's native France and in 1946 its screen version was released. However, the likelihood that the story, the way it is described, could take place indeed is somewhat low. Not only the believability of the plot line is questionable, the emotions seem to be overdramatised. "The Counterfeiters" does not share these drawbacks, though.
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A good french read
rating: 3
Andre Gide's Symphonie Pastorale was a wonderful book, but a hard read if you are not fluent in french. Many details are easily overlooked that are important to the book if you don't have perfected french reading skills. The book itself, was a wonderful and emotional tail that asked me questions I've never thought of before. But, sincerly, if you're not yet fluent in french, wait a year or two until you know french better to read this book. The symbolism and artful writing deserves is only effective if fully understood.√
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