The Representation of Rosemary's Memory in Karen Joy Fowler's "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves"

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 The Construction Of Memory

2.1 Manipulating Subjects

2.2 Objects Of Manipulation

2.3 Who Manipulates Memory?

3 The Unreliability Of Memory

3.1 Mental Health Impact

3.2 The Categories of Unreliability

3.3 Cause And Effect of Unreliability

4 Memory And the Non-Human

4.1 The Ape’s Memory In “A Report to An Academy”

4.2 “Project Nim” And “The Ape and The Child” - Primates Raised Alongside Humans

5 Conclusion

Research Objectives and Core Themes

This thesis investigates the complex manipulation of memory by the narrator Rosemary Cooke in Karen Joy Fowler’s novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, analyzing how trauma and personal identity shape the narrative structure.

• Construction of memory through non-linear storytelling
• Narrative unreliability as a literary and psychological device
• The impact of traumatic experience (PTSD) on identity and communication
• Comparative analysis of human-animal bonding and the process of humanization
• Literary intertextuality with Franz Kafka’s “A Report to an Academy”

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: This chapter defines the core research questions regarding the manipulation of memory, the unreliability of the narrator, and the thematic use of intertextuality with Franz Kafka’s work.

2 The Construction Of Memory: Examines how the non-linear timeline and the protagonist's stream-of-consciousness narration facilitate the construction of false or reconstructed childhood memories.

3 The Unreliability Of Memory: Analyzes the psychological impact of PTSD on the narrator and classifies the different categories of narrative unreliability present in the novel.

4 Memory And the Non-Human: Explores the relationship between human and non-human memory through comparative studies of home-raised chimpanzees and Kafka’s fictional ape.

5 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that the narrator’s unreliability is fundamentally linked to her trauma and her attempt to navigate the complex emotional bond with her sister.

Keywords

Memory manipulation, Rosemary Cooke, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Narrative unreliability, PTSD, Trauma, Stream of consciousness, Humanization, Fern, Chimpanzee, Kafka, Identity crisis, Intertextuality, Project Nim, The Ape and the Child

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this thesis?

The thesis focuses on how the narrator, Rosemary Cooke, manipulates her own memories in the novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, and how this unreliability reflects her underlying trauma.

What are the main thematic areas covered?

Key areas include the psychological construction of memory, the nature of narrative unreliability, the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the comparative study of human-animal boundaries.

What is the central research question?

The research asks how the representation of memory and the narrator’s unreliable perspective contribute to the reader’s understanding of Rosemary's identity and her traumatic family history.

Which methodology is employed in this research?

The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing upon psychological concepts such as PTSD and memory studies, as well as narratological theories regarding unreliable homodiegetic narration.

What is the role of the novel's non-linear structure?

The non-linear, "in medias res" structure serves as a narrative technique to mimic the way trauma impacts memory, allowing the narrator to avoid confronting painful truths until the end.

Which literary theory is used to analyze the narrator's unreliability?

The analysis utilizes the categories of unreliability defined by Phelan and Martin to classify how Rosemary misreports, misinterprets, and misevaluates the events of her past.

How does the intertextual reference to Franz Kafka function in the novel?

Kafka’s “A Report to an Academy” serves as a thematic mirror, allowing the author to explore the process of humanization and the struggle of living between two identities, animal and human.

What is the significance of the "Project Nim" and "The Ape and the Child" studies in this analysis?

These studies provide a real-world scientific context that corroborates the novel's depiction of long-term memory in chimpanzees, helping to validate the emotional bond between the protagonist and her sister Fern.