The Confluence of Disease of Memory: Alzheimer's and Pandemic Dynamics in Namwali Serpell's The Old Drift

Abstract

Namwali Serpell’s the Old Drift intricately examines the intersections of Alzheimer’s disease and pandemics, employing both as metaphors for the fragility of memory and identity in personal and societal contexts. Alzheimer’s disease symbolizes the erosion of individual and collective memory, reflecting the historical amnesia experienced by post-colonial societies. Meanwhile, a futuristic epidemic in the novel amplifies the effects of this forgetting, exposing the vulnerabilities and inequalities embedded in global health crises. Through the lens of medical humanities and post-colonial theory, this study explores how Serpell critiques the interconnected forces of historical erasure, societal trauma, and identity formation. By analyzing these themes, the research highlights literature’s ability to deepen our understanding of health, history, and collective memory, providing new perspectives on resilience and reckoning in the face of global crises.