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Overview

The Unbearable Lightness of Being, published in 1984 by Czech-French author Milan Kundera, is a philosophical novel that explores the nature of love, sex, and existence. The novel follows the lives of four main characters—Tomas, Tereza, Sabina, and Franz—before and during the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. It delves into their interconnected relationships and explores philosophical questions about the weight of individual choices and the existential dilemmas faced by individuals in a world marked by historical and personal flux. Kundera’s work is heavily influenced by existentialism and the concept of eternal return. The Unbearable Lightness of Being was adapted into a film starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche in 1988.

Explore a plot summary, important quotes, and an in-depth analysis of Tomas.

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