The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

by

Milan Kundera

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being: Part 2, Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Tereza’s mother was not modest in the least. She talked publically about sex and even removed her dentures in front of others. When Tereza’s mother had been young and beautiful, she guarded her body, but she felt she had little need to do so in old age. Tereza is a continuation of her mother, the narrator says, because her mother’s behavior has left “an indelible imprint on her.”
The “indelible imprint” left on Tereza by her mother is again an example of eternal return. While Kundera argues that life only occurs once, he does suggest that it repeats in other ways, such as Tereza’s similarities to her mother. This moment hints at how even in a linear life without eternal return, some cyclical aspects do remain.
Themes
Time, Happiness, and Eternal Return Theme Icon
Sex, Love, and Duality of Body and Soul Theme Icon