Question from a newbie: Taking memories out of your head?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 164133

---  "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
>
> bboyminn wrote:
> > 
> > <snip> While some have suggested 'Shadow' memories, 
> > I think 'secondary' memories is closer to the truth.
> > <snip>
> > ...
> > 
> > So, let's say Snape removes an event from his memory.
> > Once he does that, ... How does he even know the
> > event occurred? ... if he can't remember that he ever
> > had it? <snip> Of course, the answer is he has many 
> > secondary memories related to the event ... <snip>
> 
> Carol responds:
> ... I don't think JKR has anything so complicated in 
> mind. I think that once a person removes the *objective
> record* of the memory and places it in a Pensieve, what
> remains is the subjective remembrance, a shadow memory
> that may be almost as detailed or much vaguer than the
> objective memory, but which cannot be placed in a 
> Pensieve because it isn't a real, objective record of
> what happened. 
> 
> For example, ...
> 
> Carol, whose memories, even the most vivid ones, are 
> all of the inaccurate subjective variety--and don't 
> match my sister's subjective memories of the same 
> incidents...
>

bboyminn:

Although it certainly doesn't seem like it, I think 
we are agreeing with each other. In a sense, we are
saying the same thing, just framing it differently.
It seems reasonable that what you call 'Shadow' 
memory, it a memory that exists and is made up of a
collection of 'Secondary' memories.

The point I'm really trying to make is that no memory
exists in isolation. Let us use a slightly real world
example. You go to the corner store to get some milk
and while you are there an attempted robbery occurs.
The (magical) police arrive and everyone gives them
a general account of what happened. Then you remember
that you can pull memories from your head, and that
the police are capable of viewing memories in a 
Penseive. So you give them the memory of the actual
robber so that later when viewed they can see the
actual robber and make a positive identification. 
(Too bad you can't hook a printer directly to the
Penseive, you could have 'Wanted' flyiers out in
a matter of minutes.)

Now, has all evidence of that event left your mind?
Certainly not, you still remember going to the store,
you still remember that a robbery occurred and that 
you explained what happen to the police, later you
will remember having gone home and told your family.

Perhaps when you explained everything to the police,
in your mind you relived it again, thereby creating a
new memory. Indeed this secondary memory is very 
subjective, filled with emotions and accompanying 
distortions. All these secondary memories, and
re-rememberances, would create what you call a 
Subjective Shadow Memory. And I agree that these
'shadow' memories are too vague, distorted, emotional,
and subjective to be of much use to a Legilimens. 

Again, the key point is that no memory lives in isolation.
It is the associated memories that allow you to know
what you put into the Penseive, to still remember
why you put it in there, and to know enough to know to
put it back when you are done.

Much like you, most of my childhood memories are gone,
and all that remain are the shadows, but those shadows
are enough to remind me that the memory and the places
once existed.

No memory lives in isolation, isn't that the point we
are both trying to make?

Steve/bboyminn