Skip to main content

story identification - Dystopian future, an old novel where everyone only has a three day memory?



I'm trying to find the name and/or author of a story I read in the 1990s (I think) about a future where everyone takes 'memory loss' pills. It means you only remember three days of short term stuff, though you remember all the basic skills like talking and tying your shoelaces, and who your family is. If you don't take the pills you have to live in an exile community. This boy takes the pills, and is looking after a small shrub, but he doesn't know for how long he's been looking after it. Something like that.



Anyone read something even remotely like this and could point me in the right direction?


Much appreciated.



Answer



This description reminds me of “The Vandal” by Ann Schlee, published in 1979. This book won the Gaurdian’s Children’s Fiction Prize in 1980. It also features the forgetting, but it has a shrub as well.


The hero is a boy called “Paul”, the Vandal of the title. He lives in an ordered society, where order is maintained because everyone forgets all specific knowledge (people they know, but not how to speak etc.) after a few days, unless they are reminded. Each day ends with a ritual where the family drinks a special Drink, and destroys all papers “to avoid contamination”. But Paul has an urge to start fires.


There was also a shrub. Paul tries at one point to protect a plant - more of a weed than a shrub that is growing beside a bench, where it shouldn’t be growing. The council workers will kill it if they spot it. There always come by at the same time, so he has a chance to conceal it, by sitting on the bench each time they come round so they don't see it.


Eventually Paul is sent away. The end is quite strange.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.
Post a Comment
Read more

game of thrones - Is Syrio Forel dead?

In the episode 'The Pointy End' (Season 1 Episode 8) when Arya runs from the Lannister guards you hear the sound of a sword being dropped (around 4:56): [embedded content] After that neither Syrio or Ser Meryn Trant is never mentioned or seen in the show again, except when Arya mentions to the Hound that Ser Meryn Trant killed Syrio. Is there any mention in the books that Syrio actually dies?
Post a Comment
Read more

tolkiens legendarium - Difference between elves and dwarves blacksmithing in the Lord of the Rings

Both the elves and the dwarves were famous for their metal work in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but what is the difference between what they made, and which one had the better skill of making amours and swords? Answer James Christopher's answer sums up the second part of your question well, but as to the difference in what they made, a little more detail is needed. Once the Elves learned to forge with steel, the shape of the sword changed, now being able to take on the form of a great broadsword or a light and agile curved sword. Additionally, they took great pride in decorating their swords. As we see in the Lord of the Rings , some swords like Sting had magical properties such as glowing blue when orcs are near. As far as the use of Mithril, lotr.wikia has two contradictory passages: Thus, Elven blades became renowned as great weapons, capable of performing deeds beyond the skill of their handlers and were even more glorious when the use of Mithril was allowed to the Elves. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How do Pokemon trainers collect their winnings?

According to Bulbapedia , Prize money is the money that a Trainer pays out at the end of a battle. So we know that the money comes directly from the trainer that just lost, and not some third-party committee or sponsor. But how is this done? It can be easy seeing the random trainers who challenge you along the way wanting to wager and then, after admitting defeat, sticking to their word and handing over their hard-earned pokebucks. Then there are the likes of Team Rocket and Giovanni, who also give money once they lose. This doesn't seem like something people in a criminal organization would willingly do. From this it appears that trainers have no say in whether or not they cough up the dough after losing, but I can't find anything on how exactly the funds are transferred from loser to winner. So how do Pokemon trainers receive their winnings?
Post a Comment
Read more