Fragments of a Hologram Rose: A Nonlinear Exploration of Memories

“Fragments of a Hologram Rose” is an interesting cyberpunk story, as the structure itself seems to reflect the main theme of it: memory, and its fragmented nature. The structure of the story weaves in and out between Parker’s memories and his current state in the present Dystopian America, trying to get his sensory tapes to work. In this story, the structure and world are more of the highlight than Parker, who is really just a lens to see the world through. As readers, we understand clearly why the people in this society would want something like ASP tapes; in a society as chaotic as described, escapism into memories or the memories of someone else makes perfect sense. Since memories, especially good ones, are often idealized and exaggerated, why not travel somewhere like that? However, it’s as real as a hologram is: not at all. Characters like Parker rely so heavily on the memory tapes that they have no real way to connect with the world around them. When things go bad, like they constantly are in a reality like this, they just escape to the sensory tapes. There’s no real sense of relationship; the characters become as fragmented as the memories that are shown.

The non-linear structure of the story reflects this beautifully. One second you are along a beach in Greece, and the next you realize that you’re laying in the bed of an apartment in Texas. Instead of focusing on a chronological narrative, the story is told through a series of recollections, much like how memories are actually through about. When we recall things, we don’t just go in the order that they happened. Usually, something in the memory causes us to remember something else, or thing of something that to everyone seems non-sequitur. Together, these scenes create a whole story, much like how individual memories together make up a person’s existence.