This reminds us quite
spontaneously of Derek Walcott’s Nobel acceptance lecture, where he expresses
an almost similar sentiment at the pain of a fragmented identity, while at the
same time the joy of a hybrid existence when watching a delightful Ramleela
performance in a village in Trinidad! He says, “... Two different religions,
two different continents, both filling the heart with the pain that is joy.” This
double-bind of Derek’s is also evidenced much in his poem, ‘A Far Cry from
Africa’!
Let’s say a ‘Wowww’
and an ‘Awww’ to Derek for his unique way
with words! More exclusively on his ‘way with words ‘on a later post!
Almost a similar
predicament there is, to Nathalie Sarraute, one of the most inspiring and
influential French novelists of our times!
Interestingly, the
legendary Sartre himself was highly appreciative of Sarraute’s works. In fact it
was Sartre who wrote the Foreword to one of her most celebrated works titled, Portrait of a Man Unknown!
There’s something
worth an intense ponder in Sarraute’s works, especially on her memoir titled, Childhood, which has been translated into
English by Barbara Wright! Added, Barbara had always been in consultation with the
author, through every stage of the translation of this Sarraute’an memoir it seems!
What’s quite
interesting or rather revelatory about the memoir is that, Sarraute recalls from
memory, [when she is over eighty years of age,] memories and incidents that had
happened to her in early childhood when she was between 3 and 11 years of age!
‘I am nothing other
than what I have written. Here, I am in security,’ she confesses, even while highlighting
the fallibilities, the foibles and the errors that always remain a ‘perpetual
possibility’ [to quote Eliot], in the autobiographical mode to one's 'rememberings!'
And the conversations in
the memoir have such a defamiliarised air to their tone, as there are three versions
of Sarrautes at any given time in the conversations: the child Sarraute who is living
the experience, and the two adult versions of Sarrautes – one highly reflective
and the other intensely judging! Moreover, the conversations between Sarraute
and herself, which act as one doing the questioning and the other on rumination-mode,
are deliberately depicted with the ellipses [ … ] that adorn most of these convys! Which
goes on to imply that there are huge possibilities of aberrations or forgettings
in memory recovery! Or rather, through these 'strategic ellipses', Sarraute drives home the truth about the possibilities of fallibilities in memory recovery!
Sarraute portrays this
‘trouble’ with memory, with remembering and with forgetting, even right at the
start of the book, where the adult version to Sarraute is ruminating over her
decision to write down her childhood memories!
Sample this -
So, are you really gonna do this? … Do wish to evoke memories
of your childhood back again?”…
How much these very words seem to unnerve you! … Looks like
you don’t even like those words, ain’t you? But confess, Sarraute, that, these
are the only words that will fit you well!
So you would like to “Evoke your memories, ain’t you?”… Just
don’t be anxious, don’t get nervous, because that’s what it is!
Yes, I really cannot help it at all! It so tempts me much! I
don’t know why… but…
Perhaps… may be… possible that sometimes people don’t
realize… or perhaps your powers of remembering are on the decline as you age…
But no, I don’t agree to that! I ain’t think so… for that
matter, I don’t even feel it…
And still, you want to really bring back your memories of
childhood, don’t you…
Through these lines, Sarraute confesses to her myriad dilemmas and her conflictual predicaments in recalling the past to an ‘accurate retell’
through her ‘memoir!’
What's so special about Sarraute on our blogpost today, you may wonder! Well, today happens to be her birthday! And Sarraute shares her birthday with William Makepeace Thackeray, Jessamyn West and Hunter S. Thompson too!
Hence this kutty little special feature on Sarraute today!
to be continued...
Sources -
Book: Telling Anxiety: Anxious Narration In The Work Of Marguerite Duras,
Annie Ernaux, Nathalie Sarraute, And Anne Hébert by Jennifer Willging
Blog: shelflovedotwordpress.otom
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