It makes sense that smell would be the sense with perhaps the closest relation to memory. For one thing, smell is how humans from the beginning identified which things―fresh fruit, cooked meat, et al―are food, so it's good for an organism to have a catalog of that.
A lot of this goes on below the level of conscious memory, though, which is more auditory and visual. So while olfactory stimuli trigger emotions, it can be difficult to pin down exactly why they do.
For instance, I got a used book recently. It's from the seventies, so the pages have taken on a beery yellow tint. Books that old have a certain aroma that enchants me, takes me back. When and how was this reaction instilled in me? I'm not sure. Not complaining, though.
2 comments:
While I don't know where it came from I can understand your reaction to the scent of old books as I've reacted similarly myself. The strongest example of having a memory triggered by my sense of smell happened when I was eleven years old when my mother and I got off the plane in Gatwick, Scotland (it was closer to the family north England home than London) and smelled roses in the air. We had none in Ontario but to me that scent meant home.
I have a tendency to sniff my way around outside - at least I'm constantly sticking my nose in flowers. Partly it's because I love the scents, but there's always the possibility of a memory being triggered.
btw: Let us know where to find The Mascot when it's published.
Yeah, I guess much of Scotland would be closer to the old home in Durham than London would be. The accent--certainly Grandad's accent--is close enough to Scottish to at least fool most Americans. Getting off the plane and smelling roses sounds nice. I mean, I'm satisfied to deplane and smell fresh-brewed coffee.
Following your sense of smell, as opposed to strictly your vision, makes things less predictable and could lead to some interesting places. And yes, something could come back to you that way.
Publication is still a ways off, but I'm confident it will happen and I'll give you the info.
Post a Comment