Memory and the Past Quotes in The Host

Wanda ends up being affected by Melanie's memories and Melanie's past. Were it not for Melanie's strong memories, Wanderer wouldn't know a thing about Jared or Jamie, and we'd have a completely different plot to the book. It'd probably be shorter, too.

This is the first line of one of Melanie's memories. It's in present tense, unlike Wanderer's narration, which is always in past tense. The tense shift serves to show how intense Melanie's memories are, as though Wanda is reliving a moment that she never even lived the first time through.

Melanie's memories have become Wanda's, and there's no way to separate them. That's why Wanda asks if the distinction even matters. Wherever these memories came from, they're hers now. They'll affect her actions and her feelings forever.