Nadja – Real or Imagined?

I was intrigued by the brief description of Andre Breton’s “Nadja” that was provided on the course website, but found the first section of the book to be a bit scattered with the narrator’s constant thoughts and names of what appeared to be random people. However, I did like how Breton made the text somewhat personal, as if he was talking directly to me. I enjoyed his use of parentheses that made it feel like he was a friend whispering side comments to help me understand the events that were unfolding before both of us. I also appreciated the addition of photographs which helped me visualize the places that Breton talks about, as well as separating the passages in the second section with dates to help with organizing the plot and also depict a sense of irony. The second section is when Nadja is introduced, this chaotic and sporadic young woman whom Breton is obsessed with, but the composition of the text itself is more organized and structured.

As Breton becomes acquainted with Nadja, he becomes fascinated and even in love with her. The meaning of Nadja’s name was very interesting to me, as she chose the name for herself and defined it as “the beginning of the word hope, and because it’s only the beginning” (p. 66), implying that she is still on the journey of finding herself and shaping her identity. One of the most compelling parts of the text was Breton’s description of Nadja’s apparent love that she has for him. He describes it as “mysterious, improbable, unique, bewildering, and certain love that can only be foolproof” (p. 136). The love the Nadja gives is not the stereotypical love that most people want or receive. It is described as “improbable”, as in a love that is unlikely to happen or questionable, yet he continues to describe and emphasize that it is “certain”. This unconventional love is a prime example of the theme of surrealism, as Breton is captivated by Nadja’s bizarre take on love. Moreover, Breton finds beauty in Nadja’s eccentric personality, which is something other people during this time would have viewed as symptoms of madness and needing to be separated from the rest of society. 

In the final section of the text, I felt lost. I didn’t know if Nadja was an actual person or part of Breton’s imagination, alluding to the significance of the unconscious and surrealism. I began to wonder if Breton himself was the one who had this odd and disorganized behaviour and Nadja was part of his madness. It made me question what was actually real in the story and what was possibly a part of Breton’s dreams or his unconscious mind. 

As mentioned earlier, Nadja defines her name as “the beginning of the word hope, and because it’s only the beginning” (p. 66). What do you think is the significance of this definition? How does it support the themes of the book, including surrealism?