The Aleph | Themes
The Nature of Memory
In his parable ‘‘The Witness,’’ Borges imagines the last man to have witnessed pagan rituals dying in Anglo-Saxon England and remarks, ‘‘with him will die, and never return, the last immediate images of these pagan rites.’’ Because of this, ‘‘the world will be a little poorer,’’ since it will have lost its last link to a vanished historical era. Borges then wonders what images will die with him.
Similarly, ‘‘The Aleph’’ examines the fragile and faulty nature of memory. The story opens with Borges revealing his...
[The entire page is 761 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Related Topics
Tell a friend about The Aleph at eNotes.
