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How did World War I change Marcel Proust’s plans for In Search of Lost Time?

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Portrait of French author Marcel Proust, seated with his hand resting thoughtfully against his chin, wearing a dark suit and looking directly at the camera. — Marcel Proust French author Marcel Proust wrote what is considered one of the supreme achievements of modern fiction, the seven-part autobiographical novel *À la recherche du temps perdu* (1913–27; *In Search of Lost Time*).

When Marcel Proust published the first volume of In Search of Lost Time in 1913, he originally planned for the work to consist of only two further volumes.12

The outbreak of World War I significantly altered these plans. During the war years (1914–1918), Proust used the time to extensively revise the remainder of his novel. This process transformed the work by:

Expanding the scope: He tripled the overall length of the novel.12
Deepening the content: He enriched the feeling, texture, and construction of the narrative.12
Enhancing the tone: He increased the realistic and satirical elements of the story.12

Through these revisions, Proust elevated the project from its earlier state into one of the most profound achievements of the human imagination and modern literature.12