Mysterious Flame
What is the “mysterious flame”? While Umberto Eco’s book is about a man who has lost all personal memories, it is also a book questioning what a memory truly is. Throughout the story Yambo searches through memorabilia of his past hoping to remember some of his own. It is ironic that any and all of his personal memories could be attached to these artifacts of popular culture, and thinking about this makes us question if we have any memories that are not somehow attached to items our society has created.
The term “product of our society” is brought to mind. If all we are is merely a collection of artifacts, photos and headline stories, (combined with emotional responses handed down from our parents) how can we ever truly claim individuality? I believe Eco hints at something more. While we are indeed shaped by the influences of pop culture, perhaps more today than ever, Eco suggests that this “mysterious flame” tugging at our heart at any given moment is our subconscious self, telling us what we have decided to be important sometimes without realizing. Even though the majority of traits that we consider our “identity” have been spoon-fed to us since birth, there is something more. There are the choices that we make, the moments that we file away, sometimes without any logical reason that shape who we think we are.
Its thoughts like these that make me a little sad. My generation (probably every generation) has been brought up believing we were somehow special. We are the generation X (or whatever my group was called). We were supposed to make a difference in this life. Special. Especially mediocre.
The suggestion that true individuality, that true uniqueness is not possible unless born with a pretty severe defect, or mutation (yay for mutants!) contradicts everything I was lead to believe in myself. I was raised on books about dragons and fairies and special little girls who could do anything if they believed in it. Apparently their are no people in this world left who believe in anything that much.