I absolutely adored the concept of this book by Perec and I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter whether it made sense or not. The themes of fantasy and reality are really expressed here and it shows that the author may be contemplating the choice of W over the realism of his memories. The “real” portion of […]
Hey everyone! W Or the Memory of Childhood by Georges Perec was an especially difficult read for me. It was…
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with autobiography, postmodernism
Near the beginning of the novel, the narrator, Georges, explains that he has very little memories from his childhood. He has lived a very difficult early life, losing both his parents during WWII, and moving from different boarding houses to different family members as he grew up in a war-torn world as a young child. […]
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with childhood, memories, war
This novel had me spiralling fro numerous reasons; however, for the purpose of this blog post, I shall focus on the contrasting chapters alone. It is rare that I come across a reading that I relate to so closely and envy the author for their ability to encapsulate a rare feeling so vividly. The feeling […]
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with authorial intent, dystopian, georges, hyperrealism, Imagination, pain, Surrealism, the real, trauma, war
“W, or The Memory of Childhood” by Georges Perec is a unique tale, for it really presents two intertwined. Half autobiography, half boyhood fantasy, the author utilizes this interesting dynamic as a kind of symbiotic storytelling—as without one, the other cannot exist. In this he reveals the importance of imagination for the development of the […]
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with Entries, postmodernism, story, truth
The fantastical imagery used throughout the book when transitioning, or barely so, between the memories made me feel as though…
Hey everyone! This week I will be reflecting on my reading of Georges Perec’s novel, W or The Memory of…
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with childhood, form and structure, memory, reflection, title page
Georges Perec’s novel, “W, or the Memory of Childhood” is an interesting mix of reality and imagination. I found the writing style to be quite similar to Proust’s and Aragon’s as Perec often jumped between different memories and thoughts. Something I found intriguing was how Perec describes the relationship between writing and the people from … Continue reading Week 8: Perec’s “W, or the Memory of Childhood” →
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with autobiography, childhood, family, history, Imagination, memory, narrative, perspective, relationships, Romance Studies
For reasons that are not entirely within my grasp, W or the memory of childhood was one of my favorite reads this semester. The duality of the narratives and the two parts of the books had a unique sense of … Continue reading →
Posted in Blogs, Perec | Tagged with dualities, memory, postmodernism, puzzle, war
I love world-building in fiction. This doesn’t necessarily mean the grand scope of Martin or Tolkien, or excruciating detail in location and set pieces, but rather the attention to the broader world that a story is set, and the development of systems within this world that echo our own. What most interested me in these two stories that Perec tells, was the specifics of W, and the sport-nation which he describes there.
I’d like to highlight some of the interesting things in this idea of a sport-obsessed world. First, there is a fantastical, mythical element about it: a secluded island where this athletic way of life is the only one. It is not far from our own way of living, where it is not only sport that is incredibly important (though it is often referred to in a religious sense, from the “Temple of Speed” at the Italian Grand Prix, to the “Hockey Gods” which are so often referenced by NHL media and fans), but also this sense of competition. Much of Western society is set up to compete by these same principles–for money, status or wealth.
On the topic of capital, the sporting organization in W revolves around sport and makes it seem as bureaucratic and boring as finance and modern capitalism, where low-ranking officials of the Central Authority, divy up the national organization. The way the sport is described is so organized and rule-driven, it echoes the numeric quality of the capital denominations, rather than the creativity and brilliance that drives our own love of sport in reality oftentimes.
I feel like this world borrows heavily from our own, but in a twisted sense, in that it takes something so beloved, but shows much of the less appealing sides of it, which ultimately also deliver to the reader some of the less appealing aspects of the remainder of society as well. It feels so capitalistic, bureaucratic, and dull, as opposed to romantic and glorious like the Olympiad we read about in myths. In terms of sport, I think this shows the beauty of the game itself, which as we move forward becomes more and more obscured by money. In terms of life, I think it highlights the competitive climate which our society builds in general.
