Comments on: Unbroken

By: Ani

Ani — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:28:39 +0000

Marcelle: I do tend to think that the way we remember things is distorted by time, perceptions, etc. I just wish I had more material to draw from than it seems I do, regardless of how distorted. That’s sometimes. Other times, I’m glad for the way things are. I am fickle! Thank you, though, for your kind words.

Drodbar: Memory and truth are often at odds, though, aren’t they? Everyone is making me think! Thank you. :)

By: drodbar

drodbar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:12:35 +0000

I’m in favour of memory and truth. (More than I’m in favour of postmodern theory, anyway). I am pleased to read this now in ‘unbroken’ form. I hope that you can gradually move towards being at peace with your past, Ani. As always, you communicate your angst keenly.

By: Marcelle Manhattan

Marcelle Manhattan — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:01:02 +0000

You know, postmodern theory would have it that we all construct our memories, anyway. That there is no *reality* which stands on its own without linguistic reconstruction, and that every time we try to narrate an event we merely get farther from rather than closer to the experience. It seems as though you are writing about an extreme and quite painful version of this, but in some ways it’s no different from the way many philosophers today think memory functions. As one of my favorite quotations runs, “I shall try to tell the truth, but the result will be fiction.” -Katherine Anne Porter. So, maybe we are all in a bit of the same predicament. If that helps.

In any case, a powerful essay, and one of my favorites that you’ve written. And that’s saying a lot, since I love them all. :)

By: Ani

Ani — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:01:11 +0000

Z: Sometimes I really want that to be the case. Other times I wonder…

Clarissa: That is really, really scary to me, too. I’m glad you knew better, somehow.

Peach: I’m never sure of anything. I wonder if that’s partly what makes memories all the more important.

AUW: It’s why I’ve always loved your name. We are all unreliable witnesses to our own stories. [And thank you. :)]

Bohémienne: Yes, exactly. Though even selectively, my recollection doesn’t seem to go as far back as some.

By: bohémienne

bohémienne — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:32:36 +0000

I understand. I remember my first phone number. I don’t remember saying “I do”. I remember my kindergarten teacher’s name. I forget the name of the first boy who kissed me.

By: An Unreliable Witness

An Unreliable Witness — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:01:36 +0000

My memories have become a scattered pathway. I sometimes can’t see the route back to last week, let alone the last two decades. Sometimes I think that this must be a better way to live, but other times I find myself kneeling on the broken flagstones, scraping away the moss and the dirt and the gravel to see if I can find any trace of my footprints that brought me here.

And in truth, I’m still not sure that I do.

A wonderful piece of writing, both in its broken and unbroken forms.

By: peach

peach — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:50:09 +0000

the past is the only thing we can be sure of, I used to think, now I am not even sure of today… I wouldn’t worry about the hacking. Sounds like you had good reason for it.

By: clarissa

clarissa — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:40:07 +0000

I had a stage during which I was encouraged to dredge up the long forgotten memories. It was my way to salvation; but in the process false memories surfaced. I remembered them, but I knew better. This scared me. I would much rather not remember what happened then remember what didn’t. Now I just rely on others for recollection of the past.

By: Z

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:17:39 +0000

You’d be amazed how much of memory still surfaces years after you think it’s been wiped clean, disinfected, and dirtied again. It lies in wait for you.