A Sleep and a Forgetting
Encyclopedia
"A Sleep and a Forgetting" is a short story by Orson Scott Card
. It only appears in his short story collection Capitol
.
done on the fictional drug Somec. After some preliminary research had been done on Somec it was used to put a number of cancer
patients into suspended animation
. Afterwards it was discovered that in addition to putting people to sleep Somec also erased their entire memory. Doctors tried to treat this condition by implanting false memories recorded from other people into the patients, but this met with limited success - the drug had not altered the patient's personality, and they had great difficulty in accepting that they would have performed many of the actions that they now remembered as theirs. When the scientist in charge of the project taped his own memories and than injected himself with Somec it was proved that a person could be revived from suspended animation if that persons own memories
were recorded and then played back into the empty mind.
, such as the sleeping drug Somec and the taping of memories. The story can be considered the earliest (in story timeline) prequel to The Worthing Saga. It takes place on Earth and is followed chronologically by the story "A Thousand Deaths
".
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
. It only appears in his short story collection Capitol
Capitol (collection)
Capitol was Orson Scott Card's second published book. This collection of eleven short stories set in the Worthing series is no longer in print...
.
Plot summary
This story is about the early researchResearch
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
done on the fictional drug Somec. After some preliminary research had been done on Somec it was used to put a number of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
patients into suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. Afterwards it was discovered that in addition to putting people to sleep Somec also erased their entire memory. Doctors tried to treat this condition by implanting false memories recorded from other people into the patients, but this met with limited success - the drug had not altered the patient's personality, and they had great difficulty in accepting that they would have performed many of the actions that they now remembered as theirs. When the scientist in charge of the project taped his own memories and than injected himself with Somec it was proved that a person could be revived from suspended animation if that persons own memories
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
were recorded and then played back into the empty mind.
Connection to the Worthing Saga
This book uses several plot elements also used in The Worthing SagaThe Worthing Saga
The Worthing Saga is a science fiction book by American writer Orson Scott Card, set in the Worthing series. It is made up of the novel The Worthing Chronicle and nine related stories...
, such as the sleeping drug Somec and the taping of memories. The story can be considered the earliest (in story timeline) prequel to The Worthing Saga. It takes place on Earth and is followed chronologically by the story "A Thousand Deaths
A Thousand Deaths (short story)
"A Thousand Deaths" is a short story by Orson Scott Card. It appears in his short story collections Capitol and Maps in a Mirror. Card first published it in the December 1978 issue of Omni magazine.-Plot summary:...
".