Fever, 1793 is a historical novel, so it's no surprise that this
is a book that has a hankering for the past. This applies to
both personal history and the kind of History that gets a
capital "H" too. For Matilda's mother and grandfather, the
Revolutionary War brought out the best in them. Though it ended
years prior, that past event defined them as hard workers and
the people they are today. The two reference the war constantly,
especially Grandfather who virtually lives in the past with his
parrot named King George, his sword over the mantel, and his
service to President Washington that he's always mentioning. How
does the past present a narrative, or a story, that defines
people in the present? How does our relationship to the past
define what we do or say in the future? The past will always
come to bear on the present. It's up to us to determine in what
way. Memories can be difficult to deal with, but we must face
the past instead of letting it stand in our way.