The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 4 #4

In the novel The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, Norah learns of the significance of the dark room. Throughout the novel, I have learned the significance of the dark room for David. The dark room seems to hold all of David's secrets. The dark room is where he hides all the letters and the pictures that he has received from Caroline about Phoebe. The dark room also contains a significant amount of money that is hidden from Norah. But, in the fourth section of the novel, Norah finds out the significance of the dark room. She finds all the letters and photographs from Caroline. "Norah picked up the first box" (Edwards, 364). She learns the truth about what happened that night during the blizzard. The dark room symbolized both regret and relief for David and Norah. It was regret for David because it held all of the life that he could have had with Phoebe. For Norah, it was relief because she finally knew the truth about what really happened.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 4 #3

In the novel The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, we see the impacts of David's death. It is crazy the amount of effects that one event can have in the novel. Because of David's death, the truth finally comes out. The truth comes out in more ways than one. Because of David's death, Norah finds all of the letters and pictures of Phoebe. Nora is also able to have a true conversation with Caroline about what really happened that night during the blizzard. "'Phoebe did not die' Caroline said evenly" (Edwards, 368). David's death also leads to Phoebe and Paul finding out about each other. They are finally able to meet face to face. Its sad that David's death was the cause of this, but at least they were finally able to find out the truth about each other.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 4 #2

All the foreshadowing is coming true in the novel The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. During the first discussion day that we had in class, Mr. Costello asked one prediction/question that we had for the novel. My prediction was that whether the relationship between David and Norah would be able to stand. The relationship between the two of them was based  on lies. Phoebe and the multiple affairs made by Norah made it almost impossible for the relationship to work. Since the beginning of the novel, Kim Edwards have dropped hints on the diminishing relationship between David and Norah. Since the first chapter, the relationship has been starting to decline because of the lie David told about Phoebe. The foreshadowing becomes true in the fourth section of the novel. David and Norah have grown so distant that their relationship was almost non-existent. Finally, the foreshadowing comes true because in the fourth section Norah and David get a divorce. The other foreshadowing event that becomes true is that David is going to meet Phoebe. David finally sees her through the window in this section. "And then David saw her: Phoebe, his daughter" (Edwards, 316).

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 4 #1

In the novel The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, the theme of fear is still prevalent. In section 2, I talked about the theme of fear. The examples I gave were that David fear that he made the wrong decision and Caroline fears for Phoebe. Caroline's fear for Phoebe continues into the four section. But this time, it is for a different reason. The theme of fear comes into play again when Phoebe wants to get married to Robert. "'Me and Robert' Phoebe said 'We're getting married'" (Edwards, 392). She fears Phoebe leaving the nest to go and live in the group home with Robert. Once they are married, Caroline will no longer have any control over Phoebe's life. She fears that she will no longer be able to protect her. She has always worried about people taking advantage of Phoebe for her disabilities. But since both Robert and Phoebe have down syndrome, there is no one to look out for either of them. Caroline feels that both of them will be taken advantage of and they have no one to look out for their safety and best interest. Since the beginning of the novel, we have seen Caroline's fear for Phoebe develop and grow stronger as Phoebe grows older and older.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 2 #4

In the book The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, we see equality as a theme. Throughout the course of the novel, Caroline treats Phoebe as a completely "normal" child. At the beginning of the novel, David discriminates against his own daughter by trying to put her in a home because of her disabilities. At the beginning of Phoebe's life, Caroline begins fighting for her. In this section of the novel, Caroline again fights for the rights of the physically and emotionally disabled. When Phoebe arrives at the age that she should be going to school, Caroline protests that Phoebe should be able to public school. Caroline not only fights for the rights for Phoebe, but for all those who are mentally for physically disabled. She joins the "Upside Down Society" and begins petitioning. "Today the Upside Down Society, over 500 members strong, would ask the school board to include their children in public schools" (Edwards, 159). She preaches that it is discrimination to not allow these children into the public schools. She shows that these children are the same as those who are already in the school.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 2 #3

In the book The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, fear is a theme. Fear is seen throughout the course of the novel. In this section, fear is first seen when David talks about a Phoebe and Caroline. David fears that he might have made the wrong decision in deciding to give up Phoebe. David finds himself reflecting back on that day that Phoebe was born multiple times throughout this section of the novel. "David had remembered her symptoms" (Edwards, 107). Fear is also seen through Caroline in this section. Caroline fears for Phoebe. She fears that she might not get her proper education because of her disabilities. She also fears that Al maybe not love Phoebe and might not make a good father for her. As the novel goes on, I have feeling that this theme of fear will continue and even grow in some instances at the very end of the novel.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 2 #2

In the novel The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, one event can change the course of the novel. As the novel has progressed,  we learn that Al has a great love for Caroline. He loves her so much that he has proposed to her. He has proposed not only once, but twice. Because of Phoebe, Caroline has turned him down both times. Caroline fears that Al would not be a loving father for Phoebe. A plot twist occurs in the novel that changes Caroline's perspective. While Caroline, Phoebe, and Al were outside, Phoebe gets stung by a bee and they quickly learn that she is allergic. Immediately, Al takes Phoebe to the hospital to help her. During this event,  Caroline learns of the compassion and love that Al has for Phoebe. This event impacted Caroline to the point that she agrees to marry him, without him even asking her again. "Oh, Al, I've been such a fool. Of course I'll marry you" (Edwards, 169). 

The Memory Keeper's Daughter Section 2 #1

In The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, we see the impacts that giving up Phoebe has on David. In this section of the novel, we see David begin to slightly regret his decision to give up Phoebe. David continuously tries to find where Phoebe and Caroline live. He continues to get pictures and letter from Caroline, but it seems this is not enough anymore. But later Caroline decides to no longer even write to David. Another effect we see is the relationship between David and Caroline to continue to weaken. Even Paul begins to notice this as the section goes on. By the end of the section, Paul confronts David about the relationship between his parents. "You and mom, whats wrong with you anyway? You don't have any joy. You just get through the days" (Edwards, 200). I think that as the novel goes on the relationship between David and Nora will be too much to handle. I think that the impacts are going to end up taking over his life and causing him to go into a depression.