A madeleine moment is a memory that is triggered by a smell, taste, or sound, without conscious effort. The term comes from Marcel Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past (1913), where the protagonist tastes a madeleine and is reminded of his childhood.
Explanation
In the novel, the protagonist’s mother offers him tea and a madeleine. The madeleine brings back memories of his aunt Leonie, who would feed him madeleine crumbs on Sunday mornings.
The madeleine moment is a type of involuntary memory, which is when a memory is recalled without conscious effort.
The madeleine moment has been called the “Proust Phenomenon” by neuroscientists.
The madeleine moment can impact people on a deep level, and can make people question the objectivity of their memories.

Written with AI