A holed life: Hypothesis of a journey through names and memory

Abstract

The exploration of the interplay between names and memory can unveil the latter as a complex entity, marked by various movements, each possessing distinct characteristics and trajectories (representing different forms of memory, thereby exhibiting both clear pathways and, at times, intricate networks). Simultaneously, it can shed light on the less predictable facets of how names function within literary works. As such, three potential connections between names and memory have been proposed: the name as obsession, as testimony, and as a fragment of life. These connections are scrutinized within the writings of three distinct authors (Emily Brontë, W.G. Sebald and Albert Camus), who hail from equally diverse historical and cultural backgrounds. Importantly, these identified categories are not mutually exclusive; rather, they collectively delineate the contours of a plausible path forward.