Duas fotografias em Austerlitz, de W. G. Sebald | Two photographs in Austerlitz, by W. G. Sebald

O presente trabalho discute as relações entre literatura e fotografia em Austerlitz, de W. G. Sebald. Para fazer isso, como ponto de partida, observa-se a suposta oposição entre documento e ficção no emprego de material fotográfico feito por Sebald. Segundo a hipótese deste artigo, a função das fotografias deve ser compreendida a partir do mecanismo literário desenvolvido por Sebald para apresentar a investigação de seu protagonista a respeito de elementos de sua vida passada desconhecida. A pesquisa caracteriza tal procedimento como um “encadeamento de narradores” e, feito isso, debate sobre a função exercida pelas fotografias nas relações entre memória, narração e experiência.Palavras-chave: W. G. Sebald. Fotografia. Memória. Experiência. AbstractThis article discusses the relationship between literature and photography in Austerlitz, by WG Sebald. In order to do that, as a starting point, we observe the supposed opposition between document and fiction in Sebald's use of photographic material. This study proposes that we may understand the role played by photographs in the book by means of the literary mechanism developed by Sebald to present the search of his protagonist for elements of his unknown past. The present article characterizes this procedure as a “chain of narrators” and, after that, discusses the role played by photographs in the relationships between memory, narration and experience.Keywords: W. G. Sebald. Photography. Memory. Experience. ORCIDhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-3960-3610

About Impossibility of Forgetting

В статье исследуется следующий парадокс: если индивидуальная память основана исключительно на внутренних ресурсах сознания, без принципиальной связи с внеш-ним положением дел, то мир, оказавшись непричастным к ней, становится местом взаимного равнодушия и полного одиночества. Без осознания всеобщей связи и усво-ения общей судьбы, в т.ч. через страдание как средства выхода за пределы инстинктивности страха, замкнутость на себя была бы непреодолимой. Цель проводимого сравнительного анализа с помощью примеров из художественной и исторической областей состояла в том, чтобы показать процесс погружения человека в измерение тотальной рассогласованности как с собой, так и с миром. В результате было продемонстрировано, что и катализатором, и действенным условием выхода из данного процесса является по-разному настраиваемый механизм культуры как памяти. Эти примеры свидетельствуют, что в жизненных исканиях, надеждах и через саму память происходитвозвращение к такому прошлому, которое, задавая рутину жизни, откры-вается в качестве искомого источника основы. В ходе анализа выясняется и то, что разрыв нарастающих цепей автоматических отношений, хоть и обнаруживает себя как трудноразрешимая задача, вместе с тем является реализуемым опытом, который прекращает раздвоение, т.е. прекращается такое состояние, когда растягиваемое «па-мятливое забвение» превращается во вторую натуру человеческого «я». Разбор филь-ма А. Паркера «Сердца Ангела» позволяет прийти к заключению, что обратная сторона удержания памяти бытия-лишь-при-себе имеет отношение к повседневности совместного бытия, с его частными отражениями в личном опыте, не только духовно-душевном, но и телесном. Через этот опыт и начинает формироваться онтология памяти не как автоматического существования (дления), а как усилия трансцендирующей мысли, благодаря чему изменяется отношение к повторению того же самого. The problem of individual memory is analyzed in this article. The following paradox is put forward: if the basis of individual memory is its own internal resources and they are not related to the external state of affairs, the world is a place of mutual indifference and complete loneliness. When a common destiny does not exist, it is impossible to overcome isolation. The purpose of the comparative analysis based on examples from art and historical studies was to show the process of putting a person in a state of disconnection from both himself and the world. As a result, it has been demonstrated that the mechanism of culture as memory is a condition for leaving this process. These examples show that in life searches, hopes and through memory itself there is a return to such a past, which, setting the routine of life, opens up as a sought-after source of foundation. Consequently breaking the automatism of connections is the termination of bifurcation. As a result forgettingceases to be the second kind of human “self”. The bodily factor is of fundamental importance here. An analysis of A. Parker 's “Angel's Hearts” confirms this. Here, memory experience is shown.

Memorization practice and academic success in Saudi undergraduate students

PurposeIn the present study, the authors examined whether academic performance [grade point average (GPA)] can be predicted by self-reported frequency of memorization and recitation, verbatim memory performance, and self-efficacy in a sample of college students from Saudi Arabia.Design/methodology/approachStudents' verse memory, word memory, experience with memorization and recitation, as well as general self-efficacy were measured. GPA was provided by the Office of the Registrar.FindingsVerbatim memory performance for individual words and verses moderately predicted GPA.Research limitations/implicationsTo be determined is the extent to which memory skills for different materials are related to memorization and recitation practice as well as encoding preferences.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that even though in college a premium is placed on activities that transform the format of the materials to be learned, activities that replicate materials may still be helpful.Social implicationsIn Western pedagogy, memorization and recitation are considered counterproductive modes of information acquisition. The findings of this study illustrate that retention is an essential processing step upon which the complex cognitive activities that are embedded in college-level curricula rely.Originality/valueThe extant literature illustrates the benefits of exceptional memorization and recitation training. The findings suggest that academic success is positively related to what would be judged as moderate practice, thereby supporting the notion that benefits exist.

Memory Disjunctivism: a Causal Theory

Relationalists about episodic memory must endorse a disjunctivist theory of memory-experience according to which cases of genuine memory and cases of total confabulation involve distinct kinds of mental event with different natures. This paper is concerned with a pair of arguments against this view, which are analogues of the ‘causal argument’ and the ‘screening off argument’ that have been pressed in recent literature against relationalist (and hence disjunctivist) theories of perception. The central claim to be advanced is that to deal with these two arguments, memory disjunctivists both can and should draw on resources that are standardly appealed to by rival common factor theories of episodic memory, and, in particular, to the idea that genuine memories and merely apparent ones are to be distinguished, at least in part, in terms of the distinctive ways in which they are caused. On the proposed view, there are substantive causal constraints associated both with cases of genuine memory and with cases of mere confabulation. The resulting theory thus tells us something important about the nature both of genuine memories and of mere confabulations, namely, that such experiences must be caused in certain distinctive ways and cannot occur except as the result of a distinctive sort of causal process. In addition, the theory enables the disjunctivist to offer a unified response to an important pair of arguments against her view.

Fundamentals and dominants of poetics by N.S. Leskov

In the presented article formative foundations and dominants of mnemonic poetics of N.S. Leskov were identified and formulated (based on the research of scientists of recent years). The main ones are considered. As part of the interaction of word and image, the correspondence of verbal and visible, the question was raised about the nature of the image among Leskov — intensely icon-painting, about the dialectics of classical and art-historical ecfrasis; the picture dominates the genre of the novel (in particular, “Bypassed” (1965)), the icon — in small genres (for example, “situation story”). Dialogue as a constructive principle in Leskov’s prose inherits the methods and techniques of philosophy dating back to the experiments of Socrates’ selfconsciousness (469–399 BC) and G.S. Skovorody (1722–1794). These features of the text in turn determine the functions of a word that problematizes specific moral concepts and moves the reader to his own ethical choice. Leskov’s artistic reception is simultaneously turned to legend and is innovative. The text of the Russian classical writer is always located on the border of archaic and modern. This feature of Leskov’s prose is clearly demonstrated by the creative history of the literary and artistic game “Flea” (1924–1931), the text-source of which is the story “Left” (1881). Established — memory, experience, tradition underlie the poetic system of the classic writer.

Memorable meals: The memory-experience gap in day-to-day experiences

Research shows that retrospective memory is often more extreme than in-the-moment experiences. While investigations into this phenomenon have mostly focused on distinct, one-time experiences, we examined it with respect to recurring day-to-day experiences in the eating domain, focusing on variables of the snapshot model—i.e., the most intense and the final experience. We used a smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment to assess the food intake and eating happiness of 103 participants (82.52% female, Mage = 21.97 years) over eight days, and then calculated their best (positive peak), worst (negative peak) and final experiences. Remembered eating happiness was assessed immediately after the study (immediate recall) and after four weeks (delayed recall). A significant memory-experience gap was revealed at immediate recall (d = .53). Remembered eating happiness was predicted by the worst eating experience (β = .41, p < .001), but not by the best or final eating experience. Analyzing changes over time did not show a significant memory-experience gap at delayed recall, but did reveal a similar influence of the worst eating experience (β = .39, p < .001). Findings indicate that, in the domain of eating, retrospective memory is mainly influenced by negative experiences. Overall, the results indicate that the snapshot model is a valid conceptualization to explain recall of both outstanding and day-to-day experiences.

Effects of Juvenile or Adolescent Working Memory Experience and Inter-Alpha Inhibitor Protein Treatment after Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia

Hypoxic-Ischemic (HI) brain injury in the neonate contributes to life-long cognitive impairment. Early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions are critical but limited. We previously reported in a rat model of HI two interventional approaches that improve cognitive and sensory function: administration of Inter-alpha Inhibitor Proteins (IAIPs) and early experience in an eight-arm radial water maze (RWM) task. Here, we expanded these studies to examine the combined effects of IAIPs and multiple weeks of RWM assessment beginning with juvenile or adolescent rats to evaluate optimal age windows for behavioral interventions. Subjects were divided into treatment groups; HI with vehicle, sham surgery with vehicle, and HI with IAIPs, and received either juvenile (P31 initiation) or adolescent (P52 initiation) RWM testing, followed by adult retesting. Error rates on the RWM decreased across weeks for all conditions. Whereas, HI injury impaired global performance as compared to shams. IAIP-treated HI subjects tested as juveniles made fewer errors as compared to their untreated HI counterparts. The juvenile group made significantly fewer errors on moderate demand trials and showed improved retention as compared to the adolescent group during the first week of adult retesting. Together, results support and extend our previous findings that combining behavioral and anti-inflammatory interventions in the presence of HI improves subsequent learning performance. Results further indicate sensitive periods for behavioral interventions to improve cognitive outcomes. Specifically, early life cognitive experience can improve long-term learning performance even in the presence of HI injury. Results from this study provide insight into typical brain development and the impact of developmentally targeted therapeutics and task-specific experience on subsequent cognitive processing.