Jellicoe Road Memory/The Past Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

In year seven, when I moved into the dorms, I was surprised at how much I missed her. Not living in the unfinished house seemed like a step farther away from understanding anything about my past. Whenever I look for clues, my sleuthing always comes back to one person: Hannah. (2.14)

If you've picked up anything from going through these themes, it's that Taylor's relationship with Hannah is super complicated. She knows it's no coincidence that Hannah showed up at the gas station to get her, and yet the two rarely (okay, try never) talk about the connection between them. The lack of communication only drives Taylor further in her quest to discover where she comes from.

Quote #2

I stop and look into Jessa McKenzie's eyes and suddenly I see someone… something that I have seen before. I feel an anxiety I can't explain. (3.41)

Having read the whole book, we now know that what Taylor's experiencing when she looks at Jessa is probably post-traumatic stress. She looks into Jessa's eyes and sees the Hermit's (a.k.a. Fitz's) eyes before he shot himself in front of her. With her past lying in a million scattered pieces, though, this isn't exactly knowledge Taylor can immediately recall.

Quote #3

I told him everything. About my first memory, sitting on the shoulders of a giant who I know can only be my father […] See, I remember love. That's what people don't understand. And what I also remember is that in telling that tale to the Cadet on the train, I got a sense of peace. (4.30)

It's funny how Taylor gets the memory of being on the giant's shoulders all wrong. She assumes it's her father, but it's actually Jude, the only father figure she's ever known. It's also interesting that she gets such a strong sense of relief sharing the memory with Jonah—a kid who's suffering from grief and guilt over his own father's death.