Jacqueline

Kooser
ENC 3315
Assignment 3
Professor Marinara
THE HISTORY OF MEMORY

From the moment we are born into the world, our presence activates

memory in many forms all around us. Not only does memory start to build in our
infant brains, but also the humans around us begin to actively put their memory into
play. The family surrounding us remembers their experiences with new borns; our
parents remember the joyful and over whelming moment that their first born came
along, and their parents, their memory takes them back to giving birth to the man or
woman who has now brought them the finest gift. Doctors enjoy the moment while
their memory is taking them for a stroll through their to-do list for other patients,
and as nurses begin to prepare the baby to be taken home, their memory floods with
the many rewarding reasons that they chose the profession they did. Memory is a
fascinating subject when thinking about it in depth. What does memory exactly
mean to the world of literature? What can it do for authors and audiences?

Memory is defined as the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers

information and something remembered from the past; a recollection ( The

subject of memory comes from the Greek goddess Mnemosyne. Simonides was a
Greek lyric poet, decided to begin teaching the subject of memory through painting
and poetry. Knowing that memory was such a big part of ancient studies, it is

interesting to see modern day authors making memory such a huge role within their
stories.

One of todays most well known romance authors, Nicholas Sparks, uses the

power of memory throughout one of his classics. The Notebook takes place in the pre
and post World War II era (Wasowski, Richard). The author takes readers on a
romantic adventure of a young man and woman who fall in love with the idea of
romance (Wasowski, Richard). Throughout the novel, Sparks takes readers back and
fourth between the two main characters young romance and their romance they
share today, as they sit in a nursing home. Sparks uses the power of memory in
order for Noah, the main male character, to be able to recall all of Noah and Allies
adventures as young lovers. Sparks plots the story in a way that takes readers
through Allie and Noahs lives in flashbacks and story telling. Noah narrates the
young love to Allie who is now in the nursing home suffering with Alzheimers
disease, hoping and praying every day that his recollections will help her be able to
remember who he is; her husband. Nicholas Sparks has the pure talent of being able
to reach into readers hearts through this particular novel. Using memory to not
only tell a story, but to also use it as part of the plot, really provokes readers to
critically think about their past loves, their possible future romances, and their
current relationships.

Not only is memory being used rhetorically through text, whether it be

novels, articles, poetry, short stories, and more, but directors of movies and music
videos are also putting it into great use. The Time Travelers Wife is a romantic film
that was released in 2009 and directed by Robert Schwentke. The film was based off

of the novel that was written and published in the early 2000s by Audrey Niffeneger
(Wikipedia). Throughout the film, and the novel, audiences are being taken on a
whirlwind romantic ride that involves the unexpected and uncontrollable time
travel of a man who falls in love. Characters Henry and Clare are facing the struggle
of this uncontrollable issue that was brought into Henrys life after a tragic accident,
however, Clare is unaware of the fact that its even an issue. Due to Henrys time
traveling disorder, Henry is often faced with the fact that Clare does not remember
him upon his return back into the actual time period. Although this plot is fictional
compared to Nicholas Sparks novels, it pulls audiences in through the efforts that
Henry is making in order to trigger Clares memory. Although this story does not
have as happy as an ending as all romantic films and novels, it most certainly
presents the authors rhetoric skills. The Time Travelers Wife causes audiences to
ponder their values and to take a second look at their personal and intimate parts of
their lives and really appreciate the fact that they dont have to worry about
memory loss or confusion being an issue.
The idea of memory is something that can trigger many emotions. For
instance, audiences that read The Notebook may have lost someone to Alzheimers
disease, or could be dealing with caring for a loved one that is undergoing the same
suffering as Allie did throughout the novel. There may be some people who see The
Time Travelers Wife who can really relate to the frustrations of recollecting the past
due to memory loss, whether it be short term or long term. Authors and directors of
pieces that use memory as part of a plot or as part of characters presence within the
story arent just using it for the effect, but also, to reach audiences who truly can

relate. Many instances when memory is a part of a storyline, a moment of decision

or action is tacked on to the plot as well, especially if the story is a romance.
Kairos is defined as the right time and place to do or say something (About
Education). Audiences wait and flip through pages and are drawn to the edge of
their seats waiting for Kairos to come into play through romantic stories. For
instance, in The Notebook readers are provoked by Sparks writing to expect the
perfect time and moment for Allie to remember Noah as her one and only love.
Throughout the novel, Sparks creates moments that Noah almost gives up. At the
very end of the story, Noah is wandering the halls of the nursing home, pondering
the memories of Allies greatest days and why he loved her. Kairos comes into play
when he enters her room, lies down next to her, and explains to her that she will
remember him in heaven. The couple pass away together, which is what readers end
up wanting; for Allie and Noah to be at peace, together, forever.
In movies such as The Time Travelers Wife Kairos is very much influenced by
the musical background that heightens or calms any moment in any scene. Kairos is
put into play with memory in this particular film in a way that foreshadows what is
to come for Clare and Henry. Henry becomes so ill and tired of the time traveling
disease that he is completely out of its control. Henry suffers a gun wound injury
that can not be undone by any type of time travel, but, he does make it back in time
to die in the arms of Clare, his one true love who remembers him as he left: her one
true love. This moment seems harsh to those who have not seen the film, but to
those who sit through the romance, have spent the time watching two good people

suffer through heartache and worry. This moment ends up being the solution to
Clares remembrance of Henry in this case.
In the world of literature, memory is the puzzle that is attempted to be put
together throughout a story, the heartache or joy that is brought to not only
characters, but audiences as well. Kairos follows memory, and many other rhetorical
tools, in order to solve or finish the puzzle. Memory and kairos build perfectly on to
one another throughout romantic stories, but can be used in many other genres.
Authors who want to reach an audience emotionally and who want to get their
audiences thinking can use the techniques that Sparks and Niffeneger did
throughout their stories to truly win readers over.

Sources Cited
1) Wasowski, Richard P. CliffsNotes on The Notebook. 06 Nov 2014
</literature/n/the-notebook/book-summary>.
2) Brain Channels - Art of Memory. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2014.

3) Simonides of Ceos. (2014, October 21). Retrieved October 23, 2014.