Memory, Movement, and Identity: Narratives of Neurodegeneration in Latin American Literature and Film Open Access
Buyers, Isabel (Spring 2026)
Abstract
This thesis argues that neurodegenerative diseases reshape not only individual identity,
but also the ways truth and memory are constructed, preserved, and interpreted. Focusing on the
films Memoria infinita (Maite Alberdi, 2023), Tiempo suspendido (Natalia Bruschtein, 2015),
and Elena sabe (novel by Claudia Piñeiro, 2007; film adaptation by Anahí Berneri, 2023), this
project explores how personal cognitive decline interacts with social and relational contexts,
influencing how individuals understand their experiences and comprehend the past.
In Memoria infinita, Augusto Góngora’s Alzheimer’s disease erodes his ability to remember,
while Paulina Urrutia assumes the role of both caregiver and recordkeeper, actively preserving
his memory and, by extension, Chile’s historical memory of dictatorship. In contrast, Tiempo
suspendido reveals how, as memory deteriorates, the responsibility of preserving the past shifts
to the next generation, allowing filmmakers to determine which memories are revisited, how
they are presented, and which aspects are left out. This shift raises questions about the ethics of
representing culturally significant memories when primary witnesses can no longer meaningfully
participate.
Elena sabe presents a different form of constraint through Parkinson’s disease. While Elena
retains much of her memory, her illness limits her ability to act and interpret reality. Her rigid
medication schedule restricts her movement, while executive dysfunction and slowed processing
distort her reasoning. As she searches for the truth behind her daughter’s death, Elena constructs
alternative explanations shaped by guilt and denial rather than evidence.
Across these texts, this thesis argues that neurodegenerative disease does not simply produce
memory loss, but transforms how truth is accessed, mediated, and understood. Memory emerges
as a complex and fragile concept, shaped not only by illness, but by relationships, narrative
control, and broader histories of violence. As demonstrated across the three chapters,
neurodegenerative disease does not exist in isolation, but is shaped by political, cultural, and
social contexts that influence how memory is preserved and interpreted.
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Personal Significance.................................................................................................................1
Global Significance....................................................................................................................6
Treatment & Care of the Elderly Population in Latin America.................................................8
Key Terms..................................................................................................................................9
Chapter Overview....................................................................................................................12
Chapter 1: Memoria infinita...........................................................................................................15
Augusto Góngora as a Witness to Chile’s Dictatorship...........................................................17
Memory Loss and the Disappearance of Testimony................................................................21
The Collapse of Past and Present.............................................................................................23
Memory, Accountability, and the Risk of Repetition.............................................................. 25
Chapter Conclusion..................................................................................................................28
Chapter 2: Tiempo suspendido...................................................................................................... 30
Loss of Storytelling Abilities...................................................................................................31
Natalia’s Role in Shaping the Film’s Narrative....................................................................... 34
Laura’s Background and Political Activism............................................................................ 37
Ethical Implications of Reconstructing Laura’s Narrative.......................................................43
Chapter 3: Elena sabe.....................................................................................................................46
How Parkinson’s Restricts Elena’s Actions.............................................................................48
How Parkinson’s Disrupts Elena’s Thoughts...........................................................................50
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 56
Significance of Results............................................................................................................ 56
Additional Sources that Informed my Research......................................................................58
Future Directions..................................................................................................................... 60
References......................................................................................................................................63
About this Honors Thesis
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