The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

by

Milan Kundera

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Unbearable Lightness of Being makes teaching easy.

The American Actress Character Analysis

A participant in the Grand March. Like the German pop star, the American actress treats the Grand March like a photo opportunity, only she claims that participating in the Grand March is her “moral obligation.” The actress’s fame means that she attracts paparazzi, and she uses her fame to draw attention to the tragedy in Cambodia. She claims that the Grand March “won’t get anywhere without stars,” but, of course, the Grand March doesn’t get anywhere with stars. The American actress highlights the failure of the Grand March, which is ultimately unsuccessful.

The American Actress Quotes in The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The The Unbearable Lightness of Being quotes below are all either spoken by The American Actress or refer to The American Actress. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Time, Happiness, and Eternal Return Theme Icon
).
Part 6, Chapter 29 Quotes

What remains of the dying population of Cambodia?

One large photograph of an American actress holding an Asian child in her arms.

What remains of Tomas?

An inscription reading HE WANTED THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH

What remains of Beethoven?

A frown, an improbably man, and a somber voice intoning “Es muss sein!

What remains of Franz?

An inscription reading A RETURN AFTER LONG WANDERINGS.

And so on and so forth. Before we are forgotten, we will be turned into kitsch. Kitsch is the stopover between being and oblivion.

Related Characters: Tomas, Franz, Simon, Marie-Claude, The American Actress
Page Number: 277-8
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being PDF

The American Actress Quotes in The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The The Unbearable Lightness of Being quotes below are all either spoken by The American Actress or refer to The American Actress. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Time, Happiness, and Eternal Return Theme Icon
).
Part 6, Chapter 29 Quotes

What remains of the dying population of Cambodia?

One large photograph of an American actress holding an Asian child in her arms.

What remains of Tomas?

An inscription reading HE WANTED THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH

What remains of Beethoven?

A frown, an improbably man, and a somber voice intoning “Es muss sein!

What remains of Franz?

An inscription reading A RETURN AFTER LONG WANDERINGS.

And so on and so forth. Before we are forgotten, we will be turned into kitsch. Kitsch is the stopover between being and oblivion.

Related Characters: Tomas, Franz, Simon, Marie-Claude, The American Actress
Page Number: 277-8
Explanation and Analysis: