The Unbearable Lightness of Being Identity Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph). We used Michael Henry Heim's translation.

Quote #4

The Montparnasse Cemetery was the closest. It was all tiny houses, miniature chapels over each grave. Sabina could not understand why the dead would want to have imitation palaces built over them. The cemetery was vanity transmogrified into stone. Instead of growing more sensible in death, the inhabitants of the cemetery were sillier than they had been in life. (3.10.8)

This is another example of the kitsch that plagues Sabina. The graves are over-the-top and excessively sentimental.

Quote #5

Of course. Even if Tereza were completely unlike Tereza, her soul inside her would be the same and look on in amazement at what was happening to her body. (4.6.4-5)

It's interesting that Tereza can so easily draw a line between body and soul, but cannot understand Tomas's division between physical and emotional cheating.

Quote #6

She went home and forced herself to eat a stand-up lunch in the kitchen. (4.7.1)

This is a great example of the antagonistic relationship that Tereza has with her body.