The Lost Mariner PDF

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THe Lost Mariner...

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Surname 1 Name Instructor Course Date The Lost Mariner The absence of memory reduces people to biological organisms that wander through time and space. Memories play a central role in shaping people’s identity and reactions to different situations. Indeed, personality can be thought of as an amalgamation of memories. Moreover, the way people interact with memories is one of the key aspects that separate people from animals. However, in his novel “The Lost Mariner,” Dr. Oliver Sacks points out that people do not consist of memory alone, a statement that sparks controversy because of the connotations it evokes. The statement is a reference to the case of Jimmy as explored in the book. This case is particularly interesting for several reasons. Jimmy has anterograde and retrograde amnesia, which implies that he can neither remember the past nor learn new things. However, Jimmy lacks any significant awareness of having lost his memory. As a result, his ability to feel emotions is compromised. He appears to forget everything moments after they occur. These aspects reveal some insights regarding the statement that people do not consist of memory alone as formulated by Dr. Oliver Sacks. As exhibited by Jimmy’s case, memory alone is insufficient in forming a complete outlook of the individual. Beyond memory, people feel emotions and experience life in the moment, even if in Jimmy’s case the moments remain forgotten. However, despite Dr. Sacks’ assertion, there is really no way of knowing the extent to which the absence of memory limits quality of life. In Jimmy’s case, the element of suffering appears to be absent. Nevertheless, the case reveals the vast extent to which memory is a key part of life, especially as it is experienced by most people....