Moderato Cantabile Part 3

Reading the final section of Moderato Cantabile, there was one part which stuck out far more than anything else. The novella is certainly written with reserved style that does not readily suggest meaning to the reader; it is rather difficult at times to understand exactly what is going on, as Duras does not give as many clues as most authors do. There is a remarkable difference in style in the 7th chapter, and especially in its introduction. Duras switches to the passive voice for almost the entire chapter. It begins, "The salmon, chilled in its original form, is served on a silver platter that the wealth of three generations has helped to buy..." This style continues for most of the chapter, save the dialogue which cuts it off. It almost appears as though we are reading stage directions intersected by the lines of a play. The chapter continues to develop, as the reader watches Anne's drunken and tardy presence at the party offend its guests.
This curious change in style, which is abandoned in the final chapter, seems to suggest that these events are beyond Anne's control. She is simply present and going through the motions as best as her drunken mind will allow her, but she is without power. It seems like everybody at the party is equally as powerless, though they are not intoxicated. The party is simply going on because that's what happens, but nobody is an active agent. It is a very dull scene, but makes a strong statement in lacking that power.
The final scene was also intriguing because of the obvious parallels it had to the murder incident with which the story began. Anne sat there, disgraced by her "adultery" in agreement with Chauvin that she should be dead. They were in the same bar where the murder scene occurred just a week prior, having a conversation very close to what we are told is what the women and her husband spoke of. It isn't hard to imagine Anne as that women and Chauvin as the killer, as though the incidents and discussions of the last week were in reality the events prior to the murder. In fact, this view is supported by the conversations between the two of them in the week leading up to this final one. Just as Anne and the guests seemed to only be playing the parts of characters at the party the night before, it is as if Anne has been predestined to this role, though the conversations and exchanges with Chauvin had been two vague over the previous week to foresee this.