Life doesn't come with an instruction manual, but More Than Human is sort of an instruction manual for how to deal with troubling memories. In the novel, emotional or intellectual memories are powerful forces characters such as Gerry and Hip have to struggle with. The story sets out the requirements for thinking through memories well. You need someone to listen, you need to relive the experiences in detail, and so on. Bet you didn't know picking up this book would land you a free seat in the shrink's chair.
Questions About Memory and The Past
- Let the therapizing begin. Compare and contrast how Stern treats Gerry and how Janie heals Hip.
- Alicia's Dr. Rothstein, Gerry's Stern, and Hip's Captain Bromfield are our three credentialed psychiatrists (Gerry's degree doesn't really count). If you had to rank them, what measure or scale would you use, and who would get first, second, or third place?
- These characters make a lot of confident assertions about the nature of memory. What are some of those assertions you disagree with, if any?
- Okay, here's the question you may well have expected. Explain why Gerry has the "Baby is three" block and how it fits into the book. Good luck!
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Thinking through your memories is one of the best ways to grow and evolve as a person.
Thinking through your memories is overrated. People waste too much time dwelling on the past and need to get on with their lives.