Examine the scene in which Naomi’s memory returns. Why is it significant that it is the French word for camera that seems to open the floodgates? Why are the two memories Naomi recounts—and the individuals they involve—pivotal?

I think at that point Naomi realizes just what having her memory back means. She has to reconcile with who she was before and the mess she made.

I would imagine the french word for camera is important because she is the yearbook editor...but I may be completely missing something here.

: )

I think Naomi's memory came back because she said she blamed the camera for the accident, not the stairs or Will. In a way she is letting go and accepting responsibility for herself. As for the French camera, I suppose it is related to when Naomi gets lost in a museum as a child and l'appareil-photo was the French word she remembered from that incident. When Naomi's memory came back, she remembers kissing Will. Awkward! Especially since he was dating someone else at that time and their friendship was almost dead.

[quote="vampgirl9"]I think Naomi's memory came back because she said she blamed the camera for the accident, not the stairs or Will. In a way she is letting go and accepting responsibility for herself. quote]

I think that is a great way to put it!

I have often read that sometimes little things like that can trigger a return of memories in an amnesiac patient so I am assuming that that word trigger something into Naomi's brain and brought back all those memories. I also liked how the first person she missed was her mom which, to me, made me think that even with all the abandonment issues she must have felt with her mom leaving and her dad remarrying, she was still a little child inside who missed its mommy.

to me it seemed like it had somehting to do with being lost and then being found. lost, the way she was without her memories at that moment and found maybe the way she was found and refound herself. The memory could have also been about her following the wrong woman-going the wrong way down the wrong path, and the abrupt reailization of the truth this is not my mother, not the right way not the right path. a shock for sure but as soonas she realizes this she is found and everything is able to be ok her missteps righted. The camera also seemed to be so symbolic to what was important to her before she lost her memories. I mean she threw herself down a flight of concreate stairs to save a camera because it was more important to her than her personal safety, it gave her a mask to hide behind. behind the lens of a camera and in keeps your vision of yourself out of focus or out of the frame atleast. The camera that also was a link to her mother. The very person that she was running from and needed to refind. The person she had lost because Naomi need didn't see her correctly she only saw the surface, she only saw the camera. If you can't tell I really liked this book and I thought that it was really deep and full of insight and vivid abstract imagery.

Very well put CullenFan!

Thanks, if only I could get the analytical part of my brain to work durring math .

I agree.