I have just finished reading the novel, and i am haing some difficulty trying to figure out what the meaning his being the novel and understanding what Kundera is saying the beginning of the novel. Any help in simplifying this is appreicated.
"This first section introduces and establishes Tomas's character, and his understanding of his own relationship with Tereza. Tomas seems preoccupied with the same questions that interest the narrator; he ponders, as the narrator does at the beginning of th e novel, the philosophical question of lightness versus weight, and wonders how the question applies to his everyday life. Although Tomas may seem to be a selfish man and an objectionable character, Kundera manages to make him immensely sympathetic. His womanizing is explained less as a conscious choice having to do with conquest, social status or machismo, than as an integral part of his personality and thought. He enjoys lightness and freedom, and resists attempts made by others to trap him. Tomas is a natural individualist. He is also acutely compassionate, however, and cannot passively watch genuine suffering."
Direct quote from below site:
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/unbearablelightness/section1.rhtml
