When we're talking about ancient Egypt, we're talking about the way distant past. It's not as distant as you might think, though, since it's still alive and kicking in the form of magicians, gods, and demons.
This is a pain in the butt for Carter and Sadie in The Red Pyramid, since they'd thought everything their dad did as an archaeologist was firmly stuck in the past and not relevant to the present or future. Boy, have they got a lot to learn.
At the same time, the memory of the past is important to the book. As Sadie and Carter uncover pieces of their family's history and sync up with the memories of the gods they host, they become more powerful and able to fulfill their destiny—which, as you might have guessed by now, also has to do with the past. Basically, it is always past o'clock in this book.
Questions About Memory and the Past
- How do Carter and Sadie have differing relationships with the past? How do their relationships with the past change over the course of the book?
- Imagine being immortal. How would that change your perception of time and memory?
- How do Sadie and Carter draw strength from their memories?
- Imagine that you're a historian for the House of Life. What would your job entail? How would the House's changing stance on issues like the gods complicate your job?