"Special short-term memories become permanent memories, which in turn are the foundation stones of Riley's personality, represented by towering islands."

— Gabriel, Trip (b. 1955)


Date
July 16, 2016
Metaphor
"Special short-term memories become permanent memories, which in turn are the foundation stones of Riley's personality, represented by towering islands."
Metaphor in Context
Besides "Memento," I have thought of "Inside Out," the Pixar animated feature that takes place entirely in the head of an 11-year-old girl. The emotions of the heroine, Riley, are cartoon characters, and a fantastic "Jetsons"-esque city inside her mind is a metaphor of the human psyche.

As Riley encounters the world, her experiences are processed into small orbs of memories like snow globes. They are stored in long racks. Special short-term memories become permanent memories, which in turn are the foundation stones of Riley's personality, represented by towering islands. When she has an 11-year-old's life crisis, the islands begin to disintegrate.
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Trip Gabriel, "The Day That Went Missing," The New York Times (July 16, 2016). <Link to NYTimes.com>
Date of Entry
07/18/2016

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.