The Memory of Things

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Memory is a complex and sometimes mysterious ability and function of the human brain. How does memory help in human development? How can memory negatively impact areas of human development such as mental health or emotional growth?

Teaching Suggestion: This question provides an opportunity to introduce the novel’s theme of The Function and Complexity of Memory. Some students may find this topic to be a sensitive one, in that memories connected to upsetting events can make it difficult to heal and recover from trauma. The connection between trauma and memory is complex; for example, individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, experience a variety of physical, mental, and emotional impacts, including temporary loss of memory. In the novel, immediately after the attack on the Twin Towers, Kyle meets a girl who cannot recall who she is; the girl’s courage in contending with difficult returning memories parallels the courage of countless individuals on and after 9/11. With consideration to the sensitive nature of the prompt, a private, individualized response may be most suitable; these and similar resources may provide additional context regarding the function of memory.