Stories

"Stories are for joining the past to the future" (page 38). I think this statement means that it is important to remember the past in order to understand the future. Things that happened in the past shape the world today and influence the future. As the common saying goes, history repeats itself. From the words of O'Brien, "The bad stuff never stops happening: it lives in its own dimension, replaying itself over and over" (page 32). It is important to look at past events in order to prevent them from happening again. By remembering these war stories, we can analyze and discover ways to keep the same thing from happening again. We must learn from our mistakes if we are to have a successful future. "Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story" (page 38). Stories are often passed down through generations, and it is through this passing down that the stories are kept alive. It is important to remember these stories of the past, so we can prepare for our future.