Time as structural and thematic unit of Prusts Combray

Bliskost književnosti i ostalih umjetnosti, ali i filozofije, psihologije i fizike, preko vremena kao lajtmotiva, pokazao je autor svjetskoga značaja, Marcel Proust u Combrayu, uvodu u ciklus romana U traganju za izgubljenim vremenom. Tipičnim impresionističkim opisima onoga što jest, bilo sada ili u sjećanju, Proust spaja i isprepliće osobno vrijeme, koje je samo njegovo, s onim vanjskim, zajedničkim svima, kojemu se trudi ne pridati veliki značaj. Koristeći vrijeme kao strukturnu odrednicu, on gradi djelo na tri razine: razina događanja, razina doživljavanja i razina pisanja. Sve tri razine potrebne su za tematski razvoj djela: za putovanje kroz samoga sebe, pomoću sjećanja, kojim pisac nastoji razumjeti vlastito ja, odnosno razvoj svoga identiteta. Na čitavom njegovom putovanju muči ga vrijeme i ono vječno pitanje čovječanstva: kako ga pobijediti? Jesmo li zaista prolazni ili postoji način da pobijedimo tu snažnu silu? Čitajući roman dolazimo do spoznaje da, unatoč prolaznosti naših života i svega ovozemaljskoga, možemo na ovome svijetu ostaviti svoj trag.Closeness of literature and other arts as well as philosophy, psychology and physics over time as a leitmotif has been shown through Marcel Proust' s Combray, predecessor to his novel In Search of Lost Time. In his typical impressionistic descriptive way of what is, regardless if current or in memory, Proust connects and intertwines his personal time, which is only ever his, with the external time common to all, but without much significance to him. He is using time as a structural pilar, and builds up a picture on three levels; main story, emotional level and writing itself. All three levels are necessary for the theme to develop: travel through himself, using memories, in attempt to understand his own self or even better to understand development of his own identity. Through his journey his is troubled by time and never ending question; how to win over it? Are we really transient or is there are way to win over that strong force? By reading the novel we realise that despite the transient nature of human life and everything earth like we can leave eternal mark behind us