The Role of Memory and Family in The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (2018)

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The Role of Memory and Family in The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (2018)

Expanding the Roles:
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin is a multi-generational tale that follows four siblings, each of whom learns the date of their death from a fortune teller. This knowledge profoundly shapes their lives, and the novel explores themes of fate, memory, family bonds, and the intersection of destiny and free will. Literature students can analyze how memory and familial relationships are interwoven with themes of mortality and the impact of knowing one’s future.

  • The Role of Memory in Shaping Identity:
    Each character in The Immortalists deals with the knowledge of their impending death in a different way, highlighting how memory can both haunt and shape one’s identity. Students can explore how Benjamin portrays the interplay between memory and self-perception, and how knowing the future can alter the way we experience the present.

  • Family Bonds and the Influence of Fate:
    The novel’s exploration of family relationships is key to understanding how the characters’ decisions are influenced by the knowledge of their deaths. Students can examine the dynamics of sibling relationships and how familial love, loyalty, and conflict intertwine with the theme of destiny.

What We Learn:
The Immortalists offers an insightful exploration of memory, family, and the ways in which knowledge of our mortality can shape our decisions. Literature students can learn how authors use fate and familial relationships to explore deep questions about identity, purpose, and the meaning of life.

Published by Negota