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The Dialectics Between Self, Time and Historical Change According to Milan Kundera

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Part of the book series: Analecta Husserliana ((ANHU,volume 99))

Abstract

Milan Kundera (1929- ) has produced literary works focusing on various themes connected to social and political life, as well as categories of human existence. In this paper, we would like to reflect how Kundera deals with historical change within his novels and short stories. We will see how historical change cannot be explained without understanding the essence of two basic concepts: (1) the Self: the way it is perceived by others; our self-image; (2) Time: the basic link between Time and memory. Finally, we will describe how historical change, according to Kundera, is revealing a quest for meaning of life, a basic struggle for freedom and justice, a way to overcome suffering and to actualize the historicality of human being.

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Dion, M. (2009). The Dialectics Between Self, Time and Historical Change According to Milan Kundera. In: Existence, Historical Fabulation, Destiny. Analecta Husserliana, vol 99. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9802-4_6

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