Wouldn't it be great if all Helena's memories were about bubble gum and rainbows in Secrets at Sea? Unfortunately for Helena, that's not happening—she has some tough memories in her past, and some of them are so rough that she doesn't even like talking about them. Over time though, she lets us know that her dad was killed by a cat and her mom and older sisters drowned. Those are some seriously tough times, right?
Helena might not like to chat about her past with us, but now that she's gearing up to cross the Atlantic Ocean, Helena is about to stare those memories (and the fears they inspire in her) down. So who's going to win: Helena, or The Big Bad Past?
Questions About Memory and the Past
- Do the mice have a positive relationship to their past experiences? Or a negative one? What about the humans?
- How do Helena's memories affect the way she deals with the present? Do her memories affect her perception of the future at all? How so?
- How does crossing the Atlantic help certain characters to start anew? Or are the characters forever tied to their past?
Chew on This
It's impossible to escape the past. This book argues that Helena can never move beyond her memories.
Moving forward is tough, but possible. This book argues that Helena eventually moves on with her life.