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Explaining the title

February 02, 2015 06:35PM
Thank you so much for reading and for asking, Adelaide. I suspect most writers are quite happy to entertain questions about their stories and I’m no exception.

I settled on Ephemera as a title for multiple reasons, among them:

Primarily for its relationship to the adjective ephemeral, particularly as it is commonly used in “the ephemeral nature of life.” The rhetorical question is asked at the end, “Is life more than a breath?” I had in view several Biblical passages that reference how fleeting our lives are. Psalm 90:4-6 for example,
“A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered."

For the more modern reference to a collection of memorabilia with little inherent value. Sometimes ephemera of this type--like theatre ticket stubs--are kept because of the memories they prompt. Since this story is comprised of a collection of short vignettes or memories, it seemed a suitable connotation.

As a summary for Darcy’s experience. The time he spends in Elizabeth’s room actually reflecting is very brief--no more than an hour, I would imagine. He remembers, he reflects, he draws conclusions and then he carries on with his life. The whole experience, no matter how profound or how it may change him, is transitory and passing.

I hope this makes sense and helps a little. I didn’t choose the title to directly apply the dictionary definition, but more obliquely--for the various associations one may squeeze from it.

(Normally, I compile replies into a single post after a couple of days, but I thought if other readers have the same question, it might be useful to know sooner than later.)

~ Renée
SubjectAuthorPosted

Ephemera

Renee BFebruary 02, 2015 05:30AM

Re: Ephemera

EvelynRoApril 01, 2015 05:20AM

So moving! (nfm)

IasantFebruary 28, 2015 10:38PM

Re: Ephemera

Suzanne OFebruary 20, 2015 04:07PM

Re: Ephemera

Renee BFebruary 21, 2015 04:13AM

Re: Ephemera

Suzanne OFebruary 22, 2015 03:17PM

Re: Ephemera

Lucy J.February 07, 2015 06:01AM

Re: Ephemera

JoannaFebruary 06, 2015 07:41AM

Re: Ephemera

jancatFebruary 04, 2015 04:54PM

Re: Ephemera

TarynFebruary 04, 2015 12:19PM

Thank you! (spoilerish)

Renee BFebruary 03, 2015 04:51PM

Re: Thank you! (spoilerish)

Maria VFebruary 04, 2015 08:17AM

So did I (nfm)

LisaYFebruary 06, 2015 08:38PM

another interpretation

Renee BFebruary 04, 2015 04:27PM

Re: another interpretation

LisaFebruary 04, 2015 11:05PM

Re: Ephemera

KimberlyFebruary 03, 2015 03:37AM

beautiful!!!! (nfm)

LisetteFebruary 02, 2015 09:03PM

Re: Ephemera

Sarah WaldockFebruary 02, 2015 08:38PM

Re: Ephemera

ShannaGFebruary 02, 2015 04:55PM

Re: Ephemera

AdelaideFebruary 02, 2015 04:50PM

Explaining the title

Renee BFebruary 02, 2015 06:35PM

I'm so glad I asked!

AdelaideFebruary 02, 2015 07:01PM

Re: I'm so glad I asked!

Sarah WaldockFebruary 02, 2015 08:39PM

Re: Ephemera

kberlinFebruary 02, 2015 03:38PM

Re: Ephemera

gioFebruary 02, 2015 03:07PM

Re: Ephemera

MariFebruary 02, 2015 01:43PM

Re: Ephemera

LisaYFebruary 02, 2015 02:44PM

Re: Ephemera

Renee BFebruary 03, 2015 04:56PM

Re: Ephemera

StarryFebruary 02, 2015 09:07AM

Re: Ephemera

LucieFebruary 02, 2015 05:58AM



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