”The memory is connected with desire. The archive should be seen as a reliable place for creating more anticipative memories then official data of history”.
However, a very interesting fact in Bardžieva’s novel is that the narrator Dina Asprova, who herself chose to live in exile on the west, will live through (and wish for) the scent of restitution of the homeland. It is the scent of quinces, from the family house, as well as the linden trees of her town – which will make her function as a mighty patriotic vocative.
“Scents, scents in my mind, in my heart, in my nose. As being an animal, I always search through the past with my nose. It is all in the scent. The only thing needed is to be on the right place, where I can find the real scent of the situation or of the person. That’s how I will find the place, where the Aegean shed was. The earth smells of disappearing life. Fruits in winter. Scent of quinces. As a memory and a prayer for peaceful rest of the soul of grandma Angelina”.
That restitution of homeland, which appears through and thanks to the scents (those of childhood, in the shed of grandma Angelina, smelling of quinces in winter) and yet, not totally based on the deposit of Proust, but authentically comes from the rich fragrant moisture of this warm, especially appropriate climate for intensive smelling receipt of scents.
The fragrance functions as an auto-citation: at the moment when it cites itself, the scent grows into a multiplied active, memory chip.
The scent is the dominant narrative in Dina’s memory, a dominant narrative souvenir, which remained kept in the deepest personal files, essentially to influence the determination of her (homeland) belonging.
On the other side, there is the example of “Perfume”, also a début novel, which achieved a world fame: the main character Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, with the help of the cannibal-produced Perfume – his personal invention – wants to create a museum of the female body!
“It is not the same as in memories, where all the scents remain. The true fragrance must be spent. It is inconstant – and, when it is spent, I will stay naked as before. No, it will be worse. Because, in the meantime, I will come to know and own my personal, beautiful fragrance and I could not forget it, as I never forget a single scent. So I will feed with my memory of it during my whole life, which I will own. Then, why do I need it?” (2005:226).
The dialectic of possessing and loosing to Grenouille corresponds to the geometry of closeness and being apart from memories, from remembering. At the end, Grenouille is the personal creator of his own loss.
The retro-principle, permanent predetermination “to feed/enjoy” on/in the memories, feeds the anticipative fear of Grenouille from the (predictable) loss (of the essential perfume, essence of his poor life).
Grenouille becomes a victim of his own, anticipative (olfactory) remembrance. His anticipative memory turns into terror, into a very predictable fear from un-forgettableness. Being not able to forget becomes a traumatic predetermination!
A real agony of remembering!
P.S.
The letter is a memory – but not only sadly or nostalgically pointed to the past. On the contrary, in the novel as writing – a thrilling re-animation takes place, a resurrection of a personal memory which becomes archetypal, universally valuable, commonly- significant memorable experience.
Literature:
1. Agamben, Giorgio (2002): Remnats of Auschwitz: The Witness and the Archive, Zone Books, New York,
2. Appadurai, Arjun (2003): “Archive And Aspiration”
3. Belaj, Melanija (2006): “Obiteljska fotografija: suvenir emocija”, in: Treća, Zagreb, br. 2
4. Mollon, Phil (2001): Freud i sindrom lažnog sijećanja, Naklada Jesenski i Turk, Zagreb
5. Јанарас, Христос (1997): Хајдегер и Дионисије Ареопагит, Братство С. Симеона Мироточивог, Београд
6. Барџиева, Колбе Кица (2007): „Егејци и нашиот однос кон себеси“, ин: Дневник, Скопје, 16.09.2007
7. Господинов, Георги (2007): „Во моите книги им се доверувам на сочувствителните читатели“ (интервју), ин: Теа, Скопје, 12.09.2007
8. Савиќ, Обрад (2006/2007): „Сеќавања на воените злосторства, Дали жртвите можат да зборуваат“, ин: Маргина, Скопје, бр. 74/75
9. Шелева, Елизабета (2000): Културолошки есеи, Магор, Скопје
Translated by: Suzana Šopova