Literary notes about memento (AI summary)
In literature, the term memento often signifies a physical object imbued with memories or symbolic significance, serving as a tangible reminder of an event, person, or idea. Authors use it to evoke personal nostalgia—a cherished keepsake from a loved one ([1]) or a precious token commemorating a unique encounter ([2], [3])—while others employ it to recall historical or cultural shifts, as seen in references to relics of past grandeur or the decay of empires ([4], [5]). Moreover, its extension into philosophical territory is evident in the frequent pairing with “memento mori,” transforming it into a poignant reminder of life’s brevity and the inevitability of death ([6], [7]). Whether marking personal milestones or encoding broader historical narratives, the word memento in literature encapsulates the seamless blend of memory, sentiment, and time.
- I have still the gold pencil case he gave me as a memento of his visit.
— from Some Reminiscences of old Victoria by Edgar Fawcett - He declared that nothing should induce him to part with such a delightful memento of the incident.
— from The Man Without a Memory by Arthur W. Marchmont - I have worn it since the day I lost my only treasure, as a memento of her.”
— from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë - Teutonic power now lords it over the servile remnant, the miserable memento of old and once omnipotent Rome.
— from Kentucky in American Letters, 1784-1912. Vol. 1 of 2 by John Wilson Townsend - What a historical memento is the old wreck!
— from Due South; or, Cuba Past and Present by Maturin Murray Ballou - It is like 'memento mori' in the heyday of the pride of life.
— from The Principles of Psychology, Volume 1 (of 2) by William James - It is the opposite, also, of the religious memento mori , of the warning that time is short before we go to our account.
— from Why we should read-- by S. P. B. (Stuart Petre Brodie) Mais
