Often in Literature, character can remain a mystery even when the entire story has been read. Although the author may unfold the details of their physical appearance, habitual activities and their dialogue, if the reader does not have insight into the characters psyche. The most common type of memory loss is anterograde amnesia. This type of amnesia develops after a trauma has occurred. This can include a physical blow to the head, brain damage or emotional trauma. Anterograde amnesia will cause one to have difficulty remembering the events that followed the trauma. For example, if a man was injured in a car accident, he may have trouble remembering being in an ambulance or his time at the hospital. In such cases the person will be able to remember their childhood and what their name is but not what happened a few days prior. .
In "The Mother" we learn the history of the family's current situat This more specific type of memory loss is a continuous and constant failure to remember day-to-day events (Spiegel 130). Posttraumatic amnesia has several causes: "(1) a trauma to the brain that is related to a head injury, (2) excessive alcohol use, or (3) stopping the use of alcohol or other drugs that affect mood, behavior, or thinking process"(Spiegel 133).
Incidents of amnesia that are associated with psychological trauma are defined as hysterical amnesia. By definition this type of failure to remember is a kind of anterograde amnesia. Also know as fugue amnesia, the gap in the person's memory is usually temporary, generally lasting no longer than a few days. This type of amnesia is activated by a traumatic event that the person cannot mentally handle. Although memory will gradually come back after a short number of days, the trauma itself may never be remembered (Johnston 74). Lacunar amnesia transpires when the trauma experienced is violent. In this case, the person has witnessed an excessively violent act firsthand and rejects the reality of the situation in order to prevent emotional distress.
"Mordecai Richler was the quintessential Canadian man of words, and his loss leaves us grasping for words that can do justice to his importance in Canada's artistic landscape." (Jean Chretien) Jean Chretien the Ex-Prime Minister of Canada, delivered the most gracious tribute on hearing the...