Soul Music, Memory sequence, Death's memory, Lewis

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"In a beautiful, incremental sequence of images across a number of passages Terry Pratchett contrasts DEATH, plagued by these memory intrusions, his desperate need to forget, with Susan’s gradual return of memory, from creeping to flooding



“feeling…no, she realised…the memory was creeping over her from somewhere that this one was not only real but on her side.”


“Images rose from the mud at the bottom of her mind.”


“The hippo of recollection stirred in the muddy waters of the mind.”


“The hippo of memory wallowed…”


“Susan sat while memories woke and yawned and unfolded in her head.

“I remember about that bathroom now,” she said. “It’s all coming back to me.”

“Nah, it never went away. It just got papered over.”


“She stood and stared at it as memory flooded back.”



In the bereavement section I mention that severely intrusive memories can be a symptom of PTSD (recalling the bad thing that happened) and in chronic unresolved grief (reliving the good things and hankering). and unresolved grief is more likely when there has been a violent or unexpected death. TP knows his onions.



Memory, again, is it Ysabel DEATH is missing or is it Susan?The things he describes in the pub could be Ysabel but given the other references to Susans and Alberts memories I think TP is hinting he was delighted that Susan felt at home with him and could laugh and play, and was upset that Mort put his foot down to cut them off from each other. Which would explain why there's so many references to the swing. I think it's possible to read some disapproval from Albert on behalf of DEATH that Susan was shut away in the school to make her forget him and from DEATH that in choosing that immortality wasn't worth it they were not only rejecting him but abandoning Susan.


Binky and C.S.Lewis


Narnia - The Horse and its boy is reflected in the therapeutic relationship between Susan and Binky. Binky was an active player in choosing Susan. She feels safe with him, he wouldn't let you fall off if he didn't want you to, he felt like a table. He was a happy childhood memory. He gently nuzzles her hand. None of the agitated worry of the rat or the shock and humour of the raven. Binky sets us up for the brilliant interview with Albert. So superbly handled I'm sure it's his mum or his wife. I analyse it in an appendix of the first essay.



Sensible Susan
Narnia - one of the motherly sensible Susans I list, " The older brother is in charge and the younger siblings provide interest. Susan Walker in Swallows and Amazons (Ransome 1930), Sue in The Children who lived in a Barn (Graham.1938) Susan Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia (Lewis 1950–1956)."


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