Quote:
Originally Posted by calvin-c
IMO the 'different experience' that occurs when you re-read a book is because of an imperfect memory. For example, when I re-read a book I'll often find something new that I hadn't caught before-like the author naming a character 'Hambone' and the character later kills his uncle, a la Hamlet. (Poor example, but that's why I'm not an author.)
Basically, if my memory was perfect then, when the character kills his uncle I'd remember the name & say "Oh, that's why the author called him that!" but too often, by then, I've forgotten the scene where they gave him the name (like I said, it was a poor example-think of something that would be mentioned once only, but relates to an event that happens much later in the book)-so I don't realize the significance until I re-read the book.
To me, as I said, that's due to a less-than-perfect memory. If I had a perfect memory, not only do I *believe* I would capture all these little nuances the first time I read the book, but I also *believe* that I could re-experience the reading.
but I don't, so these will need to remain in the realm of belief, rather than being proven-either way.
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Interesting analysis. I also get the kind of new insights you describe when re-reading books (and re-watching movies btw), but I wouldn't have ascribed it to memory problems, but to problems of keeping focus of too many things at once.
When I first read a book, if there are many things going on and many things to take notice of (for instance if there's a main story line and also interesting insight to get about the roles of secondary characters), I will often focus only on the main story line. When I read the book again I may notice some interesting things about secondary characters and side stories that had eluded me because I was so engrossed in the main story.