Thinking

[dks]

...thinking of applying for the Phd program here in Houston and continuing my reasearch (from my Master's) on Keats's synesthesia. I had sent my thesis to the Keats-Shelley review a few years back just after completing it...alas, they determined that I was "too deterministic". Perhaps, but this topic has me so engrossed (my second-reader professor scolded me for 'shooting way too high' by sending it there first! ) ...I am now combing through Endymion (again) and identifying all idiosyncratic sensory perceptions that I can deem wholly synesthestic (as opposed to 'pseudo-synesthetic'). My own synesthesia (lexical-gustatory) is what helps drive my interest here...I know my man had it...specifically, I think he had a combination of light-smell and color-taste. If only I could just ask him...

[BrokenLyre]

My daughter has synesthesia (number-color) variety, which has strangely given her excellent math skills. I too loved math - but I never see color with numbers. I always thought it was strange that she would see colors and actually think in colors. But it never hurt her scores. Seeing such a reality in her life makes me believe that Keats had something similar. So I tend to agree with dks on this. Interesting subject - as I never once thought of it until a few years ago with my daughter.

[Raphael]

Interesting posts folks. I am totally rubbish at maths. Hope you get to do your thesis dks. "Deterministic"- what's that when it's at home?

[Cybele]

I have synesthesia, too. (The loud noises/color variety.) Two of my kids and I also perceive numbers as having personalities. I thought this was something idiosyncratic to just my family until I came across this article on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinal_linguistic_personification I was surprised to learn that this was a manifestation of synesthesia.

[Malia]

Wow that is interesting, Cybele! I can't say I have that experience, though I have certain positive sensations about certain numbers--especially the number 24.