Paleografias, or Memory Racking

Abstract

This essay focuses on the study of the narrative structure of the novel Paleografías, written by Victoria de Stefano, the famous Venezuelan writer. The analysis deals with the dialogue that the narrator establishes with a significant number of intertextual references to European literature. The article is based, in particular, on the analysis of Benjamin’s thought as well as the excavation method, memory and the notion of the semantic link between words and emotions. The reflection highlights that memory is not a simple accumulation of memories but a rigorous and methodical work that the individual carries out to discover the depths of his being. The act of remembrance is usually linked to the vivid memory in a present which addresses the smallest details of August, the fictional main character.