A TALK WITH MILAN KUNDERA

Interview with Milan Kundera by Olga Carlisle (1985)

HIS FC! IS SH"O#!" $% &H! "!!'!(I() '*IS twilight+ ,nly the eyes stand ,ut-
an intense blue. He s/ea0s sl,wly- in 1ultivated Fren1h- with a str,ng Slavi1 a11ent. 22Only
a literary w,r0 that reveals an un0n,wn 3rag4ent ,3 hu4an e5isten1e has a reas,n 3,r
being-22 he says in the e5tended 6uesti,n7and7answer interview that 3,ll,ws. 22&, be a
writer d,es n,t 4ean t, /rea1h a truth- it 4eans t, dis1,ver a truth.22
In the 19882s- Milan Kundera- n,w 59- has d,ne 3,r his native C:e1h,sl,va0ia what
)abriel )ar1ia Mar6ue: did 3,r ;atin 4eri1a in the 19982s and le0sandr S,l:henitsyn
did 3,r *ussia in the 19<82s. He has br,ught !astern !ur,/e t, the attenti,n ,3 the
#estern reading /ubli1- and he has d,ne s, with insights that are universal in their
a//eal. His 1all 3,r truth and the inner 3reed,4 with,ut whi1h truth 1ann,t be re1,gni:ed-
his reali:ati,n that in see0ing truth we 4ust be /re/ared t, 1,4e t, ter4s with death 7
these are the the4es that have earned hi4 1riti1al a11lai4- in1luding the =erusale4 'ri:e
3,r ;iterature ,n the Freed,4 ,3 Man in S,1iety that he was awarded tw, wee0s ag,.
Kundera2s 4,st re1ent n,vels- 22&he $,,0 ,3 ;aughter and F,rgetting22 (1988) and last
year2s 22&he >nbearable ;ightness ,3 $eing-22 deal with the death ,3 1ulture in ,ur ti4e.
I4/li1it in the 3eeling ,3 4ena1e is the danger ,3 nu1lear war. Kundera deals with this
danger alleg,ri1ally- with an irre/ressible sense ,3 the gr,tes6ue.
;i0e his 1,4/atri,t Mil,s F,r4an- the 1ade4y ward7winning dire1t,r wh, has ada/ted
t, e5ile and has thrived in the #est- Kundera- wh, has lived in Fran1e sin1e 19<5- has
been /r,li3i1 en,ugh t, dis/el the /,/ular n,ti,n that writers u/r,,ted 3r,4 their native
s,il l,se their ins/irati,n. In b,,0 a3ter versatile b,,0- the reader 3inds /assi,n-
/lay3ulness and a str,ng 4easure ,3 er,ti1is4. Kundera has su11eeded in turning the
C:e1h,sl,va0ia ,3 his y,uth int, a vivid- 4ythi1al- er,ti1 land.
&he nature ,3 his a1hieve4ent 4ay e5/lain in /art why Kundera is s, 3ier1ely /r,te1tive ,3
his /riva1y. (, 4yth 4a0er ,r 4ysti3ier wants t, be revealed. In a re1ent interview- the
n,velist 'hili/ *,th 6u,ted Kundera as having t,ld hi4?
22#hen I was a little b,y in sh,rt /ants- I drea4ed ab,ut a 4ira1ul,us ,int4ent that w,uld
4a0e 4e invisible. &hen I be1a4e an adult- began t, write- and wanted t, be su11ess3ul.
(,w I24 su11ess3ul and w,uld li0e t, have the ,int4ent that w,uld 4a0e 4e invisible.22
'redi1tably- there was a la10 ,3 enthusias4 in Kundera2s v,i1e when I 1alled hi4 in his
'aris a/art4ent 3r,4 San Fran1is1,- as0ing 3,r an interview. Hel/ 1a4e 3r,4 an
une5/e1ted 6uarter 7 the 4e4,ry ,3 4y grand3ather- the turn7,37the71entury *ussian
/laywright ;e,nid ndreyev. #arned by 4utual 3riends that the S,viet sub@ugati,n ,3 his
1,untry had 4ade Kundera 4istrust3ul ,3 *ussians 7 all *ussians 7 I 3elt I sh,uld 4enti,n
4y *ussian ,rigin.
Kundera re/lied that- in his y,uth- he had read and ad4ired 4y grand3ather2s w,r0. &he
i1e was br,0en- and a date was set. $ut in a letter I re1eived 3r,4 hi4 s,,n a3terward- he
wr,te? 22I 4ust warn y,u ,3 4y bad dis/,siti,n. I a4 in1a/able ,3 s/ea0ing ,3 4ysel3 and
,3 4y li3e and the states ,3 4y s,ul- I a4 dis1reet t, an al4,st /ath,l,gi1al degree- and
1
there is n,thing I 1an d, against that. I3 this is /,ssible 3,r y,u- I2d li0e t, s/ea0 ,3
literature.22
MILAN KUNDERA (" HIS #IF!- A!*- ;IA! O( O(! ,3 the 6uiet sidestreets ,3
M,nt/arnasse+ their s4all a/art4ent is a re4,deled garret with a view ,3 d,ve7gray
'arisian r,,3s. #hat gives the living r,,4 its 1hara1ter are the 4,dern- surrealisti1
/i1tures ,n the walls. S,4e are by C:e1h,sl,va0 artists+ the ,thers are by Kundera
hi4sel3 7 4ulti1,l,red ,utsi:ed heads and l,ng73ingered hands- li0e Kundera2s ,wn.
Aera Kundera is a /retty brunette- hair 1ut sh,rt- slender in blue @eans. She serves us
wine- and art3ully /eels 0iwi 3ruit 3,r us. s we 1hat- I a4 stru10 by 4y h,sts2 a//re1iati,n
,3 the 3estive side ,3 'arisian li3e 7 the ease ,3 sh,//ing in the nearby $,n Mar1he- the
e5,ti1 3ruit at the 1,rner st,re- the art e5hibiti,ns thr,ugh,ut the year. $ut during the
interview that 3,ll,ws- Aera is busy in the ne5t r,,4- ty/ing and answering l,ng7distan1e
1alls. Celebrity has 1aught u/ with Kundera- and it is she wh, has t, deal with the
re6uests that 1,4e 3r,4 !ur,/ean televisi,n- theater and 4,vie dire1t,rs.
&all and lean- wearing an ,ld blue sweater- Kundera sl,u1hes in an ar41hair. Here-
1learly- is a 4an wh, is at ease with hi4sel3 7 bien dans sa /eau- t, use the Fren1h
e5/ressi,n he e57/l,red at s,4e length in 22&he >nbearable ;ightness ,3 $eing.22
!n1,uraged by his 6uesti,ns- I tell hi4 a little ab,ut 4y e4igre 1hildh,,d in 'aris. My
3as1inati,n with 'rague g,es ba10 t, th,se days- when the *ussian e4igre /,et Marina
&svetayeva used t, visit us in the evenings and re1ite her verses in her slightly guttural
v,i1e. One /,e4 I never 3,rg,t was addressed t, ,ne ,3 the statues- ,n a bridge ,ver the
river Altava- a 0night wh, 0ee/s wat1h ,ver 'rague? 'ale Knight- y,u are the guardian O3
the s/lashing river- O3 the /assing years- #at1hing rings and treaties S4ashed against
the st,ne !4ban04ent.
&here have been s, 4any br,0en In the last F,ur hundred years.
&hat was in 19B9 ,r 19B<- and- even then- 'rague was t,, 1l,se t, (a:i )er4any 7 and
t, C,44unist *ussia as well. &he hugeness ,3 the 3,rth1,4ing betrayals and br,0en
/r,4ises was i4/,ssible t, i4agine.
Kundera was /art ,3 the 'rague S/ring ,3 1998- the /r,4ise ,3 S,1ialis4 with a hu4an
3a1e that was s4ashed under the treads ,3 S,viet tan0s. 'ubli1ati,n in 'rague ,3 his 3irst
n,vel- 22&he =,0e-22 was ,ne ,3 that interlude2s 4a@,r events.
&ightly written- elab,rately 1,nstru1ted- 22&he =,0e22 was an indi1t4ent ,3 the blea0
absurdity ,3 li3e under C,44unis4 7 but als, ,3 li3e anywhere- when betrayal and revenge
are all,wed t, 1,rr,de the s,ul. &he 4anus1ri/t 4ade its way t, the 'aris /ublishing
h,use ,3 !diti,ns )alli4ard 7and- very 6ui10ly- t, internati,nal a11lai4. 3ter the S,viet
invasi,n ,3 C:e1h,sl,va0ia- Kundera l,st his /,siti,n as a /r,3ess,r at the Institute 3,r
dvan1ed Cine4at,gra/hi1 Studies in 'rague- and his b,,0s were banned. ;ittle by little-
li3e was 4ade unbearable 3,r hi4- and he was h,unded ,ut ,3 his native 1,untry.
&he b,,0s that burst ,n the #estern reading /ubli1 in the 3,ll,wing years tra1ed an
intelle1tual and e4,ti,nal @,urney. 22;i3e Is !lsewhere-22 /ublished in the >nited States in
19<C- was a gri4ly ir,ni1 e5/l,rati,n ,3 the ulti4ate 1,nse6uen1es ,3 rev,luti,nary and
/,eti1 :eal. 22;aughable ;,ves22 (19<C) and 22&he Farewell 'arty22 (19<9) 1elebrated er,ti1
l,ve- and 4ingled hilarity with 1,4/assi,n. nd in 22&he Farewell 'arty-22 a new n,te was
stru10. #hen ,ne ,3 its 4ain 1hara1ters- =a0,b- ele1ts t, leave his invaded h,4eland- he
2
enters new- une5/l,red territ,ry- the land ,3 e5ile. &his- ,3 1,urse- was the vista that
stret1hed be3,re Kundera hi4sel3 when he le3t C:e1h,sl,va0ia in 19<5- and it was the
3irst thing I as0ed hi4 ab,ut in ,ur interview.
FOR NEARLY 10 years, ever since the age of 46, you have lived in France !o you feel
li"e an e#igre, a French#an, a $%ech, or &ust a Euro'ean (ithout s'ecific nationality)
#hen the )er4an intelle1tuals le3t their 1,untry 3,r 4eri1a in the 19B82s- they were
1ertain they w,uld return ,ne day t, )er4any. &hey 1,nsidered their stay abr,ad
te4/,rary. I- ,n the ,ther hand- have n, h,/e whatever ,3 returning. My stay in Fran1e is
3inal- and- there3,re- I a4 n,t an e4igre. Fran1e is 4y ,nly real h,4eland n,w.
(,r d, I 3eel u/r,,ted. F,r a th,usand years- C:e1h,sl,va0ia was /art ,3 the #est.
&,day- it is /art ,3 the e4/ire t, the east. I w,uld 3eel a great deal 4,re u/r,,ted in
'rague than in 'aris.
*ut you still (rite in $%ech)
I write 4y essays in Fren1h- but 4y n,vels in C:e1h- be1ause 4y li3e e5/erien1es and 4y
i4aginati,n are an1h,red in $,he4ia- in 'rague.
+t (as ,ilos For#an, even -efore you, (ho #ade $%echoslova"ia "no(n to a (ide 'u-lic
in the .est, through fil#s such as //0he Fire#en/s *all//
Indeed- he is the in1arnati,n ,3 what I 1all the s/irit ,3 'rague 7 he and the ,ther C:e1h
4,vie4a0ers- Ivan 'asser and =an (e4e1. #hen Mil,s 1,4es t, 'aris- every,ne is
sh,10ed and da::led.
1o( is it 'ossi-le that a fa#ous #ovie#a"er can -e so free of sno--ery)
In 'aris- where even a salesgirl at the )aleries ;a3ayette d,es n,t 0n,w h,w t, behave
naturally- F,r4an2s si4/li1ity a1ts li0e a /r,v,1ati,n.
1o( (ould you define the //s'irit of 2rague//)
Ka30a2s 22&he Castle22 and =ar,slav Hase02s 22&he ),,d S,ldier S1hwei022 are 3illed with
that s/irit. n e5tra,rdinary sense ,3 the real. &he 1,44,n 4an2s /,int ,3 view. Hist,ry
seen 3r,4 bel,w. /r,v,1ative si4/li1ity. genius 3,r the absurd. Hu4,r with in3inite
/essi4is4.
F,r instan1e- a C:e1h re6uests a visa t, e4igrate. &he ,33i1ial as0s hi4- 22#here d, y,u
want t, g,D22 22It d,esn2t 4atter-22 the 4an re/lies. He is given a gl,be. 22'lease- 1h,,se.22
&he 4an l,,0s at the gl,be- turns it sl,wly and says- 22",n2t y,u have an,ther gl,beD22
+n addition to your roots in 2rague, (hat other literary loves have sha'ed you)
First- the Fren1h n,velists *abelais and "ider,t. F,r 4e- the real 3,under- the 0ing ,3
Fren1h literature is *abelais. nd "ider,t2s 22=a16ues le Fataliste22 1arried the s/irit ,3
*abelais int, the 18th 1entury. ",n2t be 4isled by the 3a1t that "ider,t was a /hil,s,/her.
&his n,vel 1ann,t be redu1ed t, a /hil,7s,/hi1al dis1,urse. It is a /lay ,3 ir,ny. &he 3reest
n,vel ever written. Freed,4 turned int, a n,vel. I have re1ently d,ne a theatri1al
3
ada/tati,n ,3 it. It was staged by Susan S,ntag in Ca4bridge- Mass.- as 22=a16ues and
His Master.22 E&he /lay was /resented by the 4eri1an *e/ert,ry &heater in =anuary.F .
Your other roots)
&he Central !ur,/ean n,vel ,3 ,ur 1entury. Ka30a- *,bert Musil- Her4ann $r,1h- #it,ld
),4br,vi1:. &hese n,velists are 4arvel,usly distrust3ul ,3 what ndre Malrau5 1alled the
22lyri1 illusi,ns.22 "istrust3ul ,3 the illusi,ns 1,n1erning /r,gress- distrust3ul ,3 the 0its1h ,3
h,/e. I share their s,rr,w ab,ut the #estern twilight. (,t a senti4ental s,rr,w. n ir,ni1
,ne. nd 4y third r,,t? 4,dern C:e1h /,etry. F,r 4e- it was a great s1h,,ling ,3 the
i4aginati,n.
.as 3aroslav 4eifert a#ong the #odern 'oets (ho ins'ired you) !id he deserve the
No-el 2ri%e he received in 1564)
He 1ertainly did. It has been said that he was 3irst /r,/,sed 3,r the (,bel 'ri:e in 1998-
but the @ury was /rudent+ it 3eared that a /ri:e given t, hi4 w,uld be 1,nsidered as a
gesture ,3 sy4/athy 3,r a re1ently ,11u/ied 1,untry.
&he /ri:e 1a4e t,, late. &,, late 3,r the C:e1h /e,/le- wh, had been hu4iliated. &,, late
3,r C:e1h /,etry- wh,se great e/,1h had ended l,ng ag,. &,, late 3,r Sei3ert- wh, is 8B
years ,ld. It is said that when the Swedish 4bassad,r 1a4e t, his bedside at the
h,s/ital t, tell hi4 ,3 the h,n,r- Sei3ert l,,0ed at hi4 3,r a l,ng ti4e. t last he said sadly-
22$ut what will I d, n,w with all this 4,neyD22
.hat a-out Russian literature) !oes it still touch you, or have the 'olitical events of 1566
#ade it distasteful to you)
I li0e &,lst,y very 4u1h. He is 4u1h 4,re 4,dern than ",st,yevs0y. &,lst,y was the 3irst-
/erha/s- t, gras/ the r,le ,3 the irrati,nal in hu4an behavi,r. &he r,le /layed by stu/idity
7 but 4,stly by the una11,untability ,3 hu4an a1ti,ns guided by a sub1,ns1i,us that is
b,th un1,ntr,lled and un1,ntr,llable.
*eread the /assages /re1eding nna Karenina2s death. #hy did she 0ill hersel3 with,ut
really wanting t,D H,w was her de1isi,n b,rnD &, 1a/ture these reas,ns- whi1h are
irrati,nal and elusive- &,lst,y /h,t,gra/hs nna2s strea4 ,3 1,ns1i,usness. She is in a
1arriage+ the i4ages ,3 the street 4i5 in her head with her ill,gi1al- 3rag4ented th,ughts.
&he 3irst 1reat,r ,3 the interi,r 4,n,l,gue was n,t =,y1e but &,lst,y- in these 3ew /ages
,3 22nna Karenina.22 &hat is seld,4 re1,gni:ed. $e1ause &,lst,y is badly translated. I
,n1e read a Fren1h translati,n ,3 this /assage. I was a4a:ed. #hat in the ,riginal te5t is
ill,gi1al and 3rag4ented be1,4es l,gi1al and rati,nal in the Fren1h translati,n. s i3 the
last 1ha/ter ,3 =,y1e2s 22>lysses22 were rewritten 7 M,lly $l,,42s l,ng 4,n,7l,gue given
l,gi1al- 1,nventi,nal /un1tuati,n.
las- ,ur translat,rs betray us. &hey d, n,t dare translate the unusual in ,ur te5ts 7 the
un1,44,n- the ,riginal. &hey 3ear that the 1riti1s will a11use the4 ,3 translating badly. &,
/r,te1t the4selves- they triviali:e us. %,u have n, idea h,w 4u1h ti4e and energy I have
l,st 1,rre1ting the translati,ns ,3 4y b,,0s.
You s'ea" (ith affection a-out your father in //0he *oo" of Laughter and Forgetting//
4
My 3ather was a /ianist. He had a /assi,n 3,r 4,dern 4usi1 7 3,r Stravins0y- $art,0-
S1h,enberg- =ana1e0. He 3,ught very hard 3,r ;e,s =ana1e02s re1,gniti,n as an artist.
=ana1e0 is a 3as1inating 4,dern 1,4/,ser- in1,4/arable- i4/,ssible t, 1lassi3y. His
,/era- 22Fr,4 the H,use ,3 the "ead-22 ab,ut hard7lab,r 1a4/s- based ,n ",st,yevs0y2s
n,vel- is ,ne ,3 the great- /r,/heti1 w,r0s ,3 ,ur 1entury- li0e Ka30a2s 22&he &rial-22 ,r
'i1ass,2s 22)uerni1a.22
&his di33i1ult 4usi1 4y 3ather /er3,r4ed in 1,n1ert halls that were al4,st e4/ty. s a
s4all b,y- I hated the /ubli1 that re3used t, listen t, Stravins0y and a//lauded
&1hai0,vs0y ,r M,:art. I have retained a /assi,n 3,r 4,dern art+ this is 4y 3idelity t, 4y
3ather. $ut I re3used t, ta0e ,n his /r,3essi,n ,3 4usi1ian. I li0ed 4usi1 but I did n,t li0e
4usi1ians. I gagged at the th,ught ,3 s/ending 4y li3e a4,ng 4usi1ians.
#hen 4y wi3e and I le3t C:e1h,sl,va0ia- we 1,uld ta0e ,nly a very 3ew b,,0s with us.
4,ng the4 was =,hn >/di0e2s 22&he Centaur-22 a b,,0 that t,u1hed s,4ething dee/ in
4e 7 an ag,ni:ing l,ve 3,r the hu4iliated- de3eated 3ather.
+n //0he *oo" of Laughter and Forgetting,// you lin" the #e#ory of your father (ith a tale
a-out 0a#ina, (ho lives on an island (here there are only children
&his tale is a drea4- a drea4 i4age that ,bsesses 4e. I4agine being 3,r1ed 3,r the rest
,3 y,ur days t, re4ain surr,unded by 1hildren- with,ut ever being able t, s/ea0 t, an
adult. night4are. #here d,es this i4age 1,4e 3r,4D I d,n2t 0n,w. I d,n2t li0e t, analy:e
4y drea4s- I /re3er t, turn the4 int, tales.
$hildren occu'y a strange 'lace in your -oo"s +n //0he 7n-eara-le Lightness of *eing,//
children torture a cro(, and 0ere%a suddenly says to 0o#as, //+ a# grateful to you for not
having (anted children// On the other hand, one finds in your -oo"s a tenderness to(ard
ani#als +n the last one, a 'ig -eco#es a li"a-le character +sn/t this vie( of ani#als a -it
"itschy)
I d,n2t thin0 s,. Kits1h is a desire t, /lease at all 1,sts. &, s/ea0 well ,3 ani4als and l,,0
s0e/ti1ally at 1hildren 1an2t /lease the /ubli1 very 4u1h. It 4ight even irritate it slightly.
(,t that I have anything against 1hildren. $ut the 0its1h ,3 1hildh,,d ann,ys 4e.
Here in Fran1e- be3,re the ele1ti,ns- all the /,liti1al /arties had their /,sters. !verywhere
the sa4e sl,gans ab,ut a better 3uture- and everywhere /h,t,s ,3 1hildren wh, s4ile- run
ab,ut and /lay.
las- ,ur hu4an 3uture is n,t 1hildh,,d but ,ld age. &he true hu4anis4 ,3 s,1iety is
revealed thr,ugh its attitude t,ward ,ld age. $ut ,ld age- the ,nly 3uture that ea1h ,3 us
3a1es- will never be sh,wn ,n any /r,/aganda /,sters. (either ,n the le3t ,r ,n the right.
+ see that the 8uarrel -et(een right and left does not e9cite you very #uch
&he danger that threatens us is the t,talitarian e4/ire. Kh,4eini- Ma,- Stalin 7 are they
le3t ,r rightD &,talitarianis4 is neither le3t n,r right- and within its e4/ire b,th will /erish.
I was never a believer- but a3ter seeing C:e1h Cath,li1s /erse1uted during the Stalinist
terr,r- I 3elt the dee/est s,lidarity with the4. #hat se/arated us- the belie3 in ),d- was
se1,ndary t, what united us. In 'rague- they hanged the S,1ialists and the /riests. &hus
a 3raternity ,3 the hanged was b,rn.
5
&his is why the stubb,rn struggle between le3t and right see4s t, 4e ,bs,lete and 6uite
/r,vin1ial. I hate t, /arti1i/ate in /,liti1al li3e- alth,ugh /,liti1s 3as1inates 4e as a sh,w.
tragi1- deathly sh,w in the e4/ire t, the east+ an intelle1tually sterile but a4using ,ne in
the #est.
+t is so#eti#es said that, 'arado9ically, o''ression gives #ore seriousness and vitality to
art and literature
;et us n,t be r,4anti1. #hen ,//ressi,n is lasting- it 4ay destr,y a 1ulture 1,4/letely.
Culture needs a /ubli1 li3e- the 3ree e51hange ,3 ideas+ it needs /ubli1ati,ns- e5hibits-
debates and ,/en b,rders. %et- 3,r a ti4e- 1ulture 1an survive in very di33i1ult
1ir1u4stan1es.
3ter the *ussian invasi,n in 1998- al4,st all C:e1h literature was banned- and 1ir1ulated
,nly in 4anus1ri/t. O/en /ubli1 1ultural li3e was destr,yed. (,netheless- the C:e1h
literature ,3 the 19<82s was 4agni3i1ent. &he /r,se ,3 Hrabal- )rusa- S0v,re10y. It was
then- at the 4,st /eril,us ti4e ,3 its e5isten1e- that C:e1h literature gained its
internati,nal re/utati,n. $ut h,w l,ng 1an it survive in the undergr,undD (, ,ne 0n,ws.
!ur,/e has never e5/erien1ed su1h situati,ns be3,re.
#hen it 1,4es t, the 4is3,rtune ,3 nati,ns- we 4ust n,t 3,rget the di4ensi,n ,3 ti4e. In a
3as1ist- di1tat,rial state- every,ne 0n,ws that it will end ,ne day. !very,ne l,,0s t, the
end ,3 the tunnel. In the e4/ire t, the east- the tunnel is with,ut end. #ith,ut end- at
least- 3r,4 the /,int ,3 view ,3 a hu4an li3e. &his is why I d,n2t li0e it when /e,/le
1,4/are ',land with- say- Chile. %es- the t,rture- the su33ering are the sa4e. $ut the
tunnels are ,3 very di33erent lengths. nd this 1hanges everything.
',liti1al ,//ressi,n /resents yet an,ther danger- whi1h 7 es/e1ially 3,r the n,vel 7 is even
w,rse than 1ens,rshi/ and the /,li1e. I 4ean 4,ralis4. O//ressi,n 1reates an all7t,,7
1lear b,undary between g,,d and evil- and the writer easily gives in t, the te4/tati,n ,3
/rea1hing. Fr,4 a hu4an /,int ,3 view- this 4ay be 6uite a//ealing- but 3,r literature it is
deadly.
Her4ann $r,1h- the ustrian n,velist wh,4 I l,ve ab,ve all- has said- 22&he ,nly 4,rality
3,r a writer is 0n,wledge.22 Only a literary w,r0 that reveals an un0n,wn 3rag4ent ,3
hu4an e5isten1e has a reas,n 3,r being. &, be a writer d,es n,t 4ean t, /rea1h a truth+
it 4eans t, dis1,ver a truth.
*ut isn/t it 'ossi-le that societies e9'eriencing o''ression offer #ore occasions for the
(riter to discover //an un"no(n frag#ent of e9istence// than those that lead 'eaceful
lives)
'erha/s. I3 y,u thin0 ab,ut Central !ur,/e- what a /r,digi,us lab,rat,ry ,3 hist,ryG In a
/eri,d ,3 98 years- we have lived thr,ugh the 3all ,3 an e4/ire- the rebirth ,3 s4all
nati,ns- de4,1ra1y- Fas1is4- the )er4an ,11u/ati,n with its 4assa1res- the *ussian
,11u/ati,n with its de/,rtati,ns- the h,/e ,3 S,1ialis4- Stalinist terr,r- e4igrati,n. . . . I
have always been ast,unded by h,w /e,/le ar,und 4e 1,4/,rted the4selves in this
situati,n.
Man has be1,4e enig4ati1. He stands as a 6uesti,n. nd it is ,ut ,3 that ast,nish4ent
that the /assi,n t, write a n,vel is b,rn. My s0e/ti1is4 in relati,n t, 1ertain values that
are al4,st t,tally unassailable is r,,ted in 4y Central !ur,/ean e5/erien1e.
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F,r instan1e- y,uth is usually re3erred t, n,t as a /hase but as a value in itsel3. #hen
they utter this w,rd- /,liti1ians always have a silly grin ,n their 3a1es. $ut I- when I was
y,ung- lived in a /eri,d ,3 terr,r. nd it was the y,ung wh, su//,rted terr,r- in great
nu4bers- thr,ugh ine5/erien1e- i44aturity- their all7,r7n,thing 4,rality- their lyri1 sense.
&he 4,st s0e/ti1al ,3 all a4,ng 4y n,vels is 22;i3e Is !lsewhere.22 Its sub@e1t is y,uth and
/,etry. &he adventure ,3 /,etry during the Stalinist terr,r. ',etry2s s4ile. &he bl,,dy
s4ile ,3 inn,1en1e.
',etry is an,ther ,3 th,se values unassailable in ,ur s,1iety. I was sh,10ed when- in
1958- the great Fren1h C,44unist /,et 'aul !luard /ubli1ly a//r,ved the hanging ,3 his
3riend- the 'rague writer- Havis Kalandra. #hen $re:hnev sends tan0s t, 4assa1re the
3ghans- it is terrible- but it is- s, t, say- n,r4al 7 it is t, be e5/e1ted. #hen a great /,et
/raises an e5e1uti,n- it is a bl,w that shatters ,ur wh,le i4age ,3 the w,rld.
!oes a life rich in e9'erience #a"e your novels auto-iogra'hical)
(, 1hara1ter in 4y n,vels is a sel37/,rtrait- n,r are any ,3 4y 1hara1ters the /,rtrait ,3 a
living /ers,n. I d,n2t li0e disguised aut,bi,ga/hies. I hate writers2 indis1reti,ns.
F,r 4e- indis1reti,n is a 1a/ital sin. ny,ne wh, reveals s,4e,ne else2s inti4ate li3e
deserves t, be whi//ed. #e live in an age when /rivate li3e is being destr,yed. &he
/,li1e destr,y it in C,44unist 1,untries- @,urnalists threaten it in de4,1rati1 1,untries-
and little by little the /e,/le the4selves l,se their taste 3,r /rivate li3e and their sense ,3 it.
;i3e when ,ne 1an2t hide 3r,4 the eyes ,3 ,thers 7 that is hell. &h,se wh, have lived in
t,talitarian 1,untries 0n,w it- but that syste4 ,nly brings ,ut- li0e a 4agni3ying glass- the
tenden1ies ,3 all 4,dern s,1iety. &he devastati,n ,3 nature+ the de1line ,3 thin0ing and ,3
art+ bureau1rati:ati,n- de/ers,nali:ati,n+ la10 ,3 res/e1t be3,re /ers,nal li3e. #ith,ut
se1re1y- n,thing is /,ssible 7 n,t l,ve- n,t 3riendshi/.
I& IS I>I&! ;&! #H!( the interview ends- and Kundera wal0s 4e ba10 t, 4y h,tel- a
sh,rt str,ll in the 4,ist 'arisian night. day ,r tw, later- the Kunderas invite 4e t, a
lun1h ,3 6uail in @uni/er berry sau1e- 1,,0ed in the C:e1h style. Kundera is whi4si1al and
lighthearted. He says he reads less and less be1ause Fren1h /ublishers are /utting ,ut
b,,0s in s4aller and s4aller ty/e. He will n,t 1,nsider the /,ssibility that it is n,t a
Fren1h /l,t and that he needs new glasses.
He sh,ws the true writer2s evasiveness when as0ed what 3i1ti,n he is w,r0ing ,n n,w.
$ut he s/ea0s willingly ab,ut his 1urrent 1,llab,rati,n ,n a 224eta/hysi1al 3ar1e22 with the
Fren1h 4,vie dire1t,r lain *esnais. Kundera is writing the s1ri/t- and he 1asts ab,ut 3,r
a title. Sh,uld it be 22&hree Husbands and &w, ;,vers22 ,r 22&w, Husbands and &hree
;,vers22D &he need 3,r se1retiveness is und,ne by a sense ,3 4is1hie3.
&his is the Milan Kundera wh,4 his 3riends ,3 1998 re4e4ber ha//ily- the 1are3ree
Kundera ,3 22;aughable ;,ves-22 the b,,0 he li0es best ,3 all his w,r0- be1ause it is lin0ed
t, the gayest /eri,d ,3 his li3e.
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