Akin Study Guide

Akin by Emma Donoghue

(c)2019 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
Akin Study Guide......................................................................................................................... 1

Contents...................................................................................................................................... 2

Plot Summary.............................................................................................................................. 3

Pages 1 – 52................................................................................................................................ 5

Pages 53 – 107............................................................................................................................ 8

Pages 108 – 162........................................................................................................................ 11

Pages 163 – 218........................................................................................................................ 14

Pages 219 – 275........................................................................................................................ 17

Pages 276 – 335........................................................................................................................ 20

Characters................................................................................................................................. 23

Symbols and Symbolism............................................................................................................ 27

Settings...................................................................................................................................... 30

Themes and Motifs.................................................................................................................... 32

Styles......................................................................................................................................... 37

Quotes....................................................................................................................................... 39

2
Plot Summary
The following version of this book was sued to create this study guide: Donoghue,
Emma. Akin. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2019. Hardcover.

The novel opens in February of 2018 in New York City. Noé “Noah” Selvaggio is a
recently retired chemist living in an apartment in Manhattan. His wife, sister, and parents
are all deceased. Noah will soon turn 80 years old, and he plans on taking a trip to the
French city of Nice for his eightieth birthday. He was born in Nice, but when he was four
years old, he fled from France with his father and sister. As Jews, they immigrated to the
United States in order to escape the Nazi invasion during World War II. Noah’s mother,
Margot, stayed behind to take care of her aging father, Pierre. She joined her family in
1944, after her father died of old age, and after the Nazis were pushed out of France by
Allied forces.

Noah has not been back to Nice since he was four years old. However, just a few days
before his trip, he learns that he has a grandnephew named Michael Young living in
Brooklyn. Michael’s father, Victor, died of a drug overdose. Michael’s mother, Amber, is
serving a prison sentence for drug possession, even though the drugs almost certainly
did not belong to her. Michael’s most recent guardian, his maternal grandmother,
recently died. Noah agrees to be Michael’s temporary guardian for a few weeks while
the social worker searches for a more permanent living situation for Michael. Noah
refuses to cancel his trip to Nice so his only option is to take Michael with him. Michael
is 11 years old and has grown up in a somewhat dangerous low-income neighborhood
in Brooklyn. He is often rude and foul-mouthed, and his main interests are video games
and social media.

Noah and Michael board a plane from New York to France. Noah accepts Michael’s
occasional rudeness with patience. Since the two of them are related by blood, Noah
talks to Michael about Noah’s mother (Margot) and Noah’s grandfather (Pierre.) Pierre
was a famous photographer who used the pseudonym Père Sonne. Michael shows only
a slight interest in Pierre’s photographs. In Nice, they check into a hotel called the Hotel
Excelsior. Noah once saw the hotel in a photo taken by his mother, Margot. When Noah
and Michael learn that the hotel was used as a Nazi base during World War II, Noah
suddenly begins to worry that Margot might have worked for the Nazis in the war.

They spend the next days touring Nice and occasionally researching possible leads that
might reveal what Margot did in Nice during the war. Noah and Michael continue to
experience some interpersonal friction, but they also begin to form a more meaningful
familial bond. They eventually discover—with the help of a local researcher—that
Margot worked as an agent and forger for the French Resistance. She helped the
Resistance forge documents to help bring many children to safety. Noah also
occasionally thinks about Michael’s parents and does some internet research. Noah
concludes that Victor was likely forced by the police to be an informant. Noah also
concludes that Victor was likely murdered by people who discovered that he was an

3
informant. Noah decides to keep these theories to himself, as there is no way to prove
them.

Before their trip ends, Noah and Michael manage to locate an elderly man named
Lucien Demetz. During World War II, he was a child, and Margot helped to save him. As
Noah and Michael prepare to return to the United States, Noah says that he would be
willing to remain Michael’s guardian for the remainder of Amber’s prison sentence.
Michael assents to the idea, as Michael and Noah have formed a fairly affectionate
familial bond by this point. Noah is deeply gratified by Michael’s response, and they
both appear to experience some personal renewal with the reintroduction of family into
their lives.

4
Pages 1 – 52
Summary
The novel takes place in the February of 2018. Chapter 1, “The Call,” opens on the
protagonist, Noé “Noah” Selvaggio. He lives in New York City. He is a recently retired
chemist, and he will be 80 years old in a few weeks. He is Jewish and is originally from
Nice, France. His family fled to the United States when the Nazis invaded, when Noah
was four years old. The one exception was Noah’s mother, Margot, who remained in
France until 1944 in order to take care of her ailing grandfather. Noah’s wife, Joan, who
was also a chemist, died a few years ago; Noah misses her and sometimes has
imaginary conversation with her in his head. Noah’s younger sister, Fernande, who was
a retired secretary also died a few years ago. Noah’s mother, Margot, died in 1992.
Noah misses them as well. Noah plans on taking a trip to Nice for his eightieth birthday,
as he has not been there since he was four years old. Noah searches through some old
belongings of his mother’s and finds some strange photographs. (Margot had been a
photographer.) One depicts an old hotel, and one depicts a young boy. They have
initials on the back, which Noah does not recognize. He calls his cousin, Vivienne, on
the phone, but she knows nothing about the photos.

A little later, Noah receives a phone call from a social worker named Rosa Figueroa.
She informs him that she is searching for a temporary guardian for Noah’s
grandnephew, 11-year-old Michael Young. Michael’s father, Victor (who was Noah’s
nephew) was a drug addict and drug dealer. Victor died of a drug overdose a few years
ago. Michael’s most recent guardian was his maternal grandmother, who recently died.
A few years ago, when police found Victor’s drug stash, his wife Amber (Michael’s
mother) claimed that it was hers, and she pled guilty to the criminal charges, as Victor
would have had to serve a much longer sentence due to prior convictions. Amber is
about halfway through a five-year sentence. Noah reluctantly agrees to meet with Rosa
and Amber at the prison where Amber is being held. At the prison, he then reluctantly
agrees to take care of Michael for the next few weeks while Rosa looks for a more long-
term situation for Michael, as Amber still has to serve a little over two years in prison.

However, Noah does not wish to cancel his trip to Nice, so the only option is to take
Michael on the trip with him. The next day, Noah meets with Rosa and Michael in a
government office so that Michael can acquire a passport. This is Noah’s first encounter
with Michael. It soon becomes clear that Michael is a somewhat unruly, foul-mouthed
child whose interests mostly include video games and social media. Michael attends a
public school in New York City and has resided since birth in a somewhat dangerous
Brooklyn neighborhood.

In Chapter 2, “Twenty Questions,” after Noah and Rosa help Michael apply for a rush
passport, the three of them go to Noah’s apartment home. Noah tells Michael a little bit
about himself, his life, and his deceased loved ones, but Michael does not appear to be
very interested.

5
Analysis
As the novel introduces the protagonist—Noah—the narrative also subtly integrates
information about his personal and familial history, thereby laying the groundwork for the
story’s later historical explorations. For example, on the very first page of the novel, the
narration states, “Noah was going to Nice for his eightieth…he didn't know anyone in
that part of the world, not since his grandfather had died in 1944. That had freed his
mother (Margot) to join his father (Marc) and little Noah in the States” (3). Thus, the
reader learns that Noah and his family were originally from Nice, a coastal city in the
southeastern region of France. They are Jewish, and they fled to the United States after
the Nazis invaded France. Noah’s decision to visit Nice therefore functions as a
personal pilgrimage to reconnect with his personal history and the history of his family.
Moreover, because that history is so intertwined with the political history of World War II,
he will likely have to consider those elements as well. In addition, the mysterious, old
photographs he finds create a sense of personal and historical intrigue, and as he
reconnects with his family’s history, the unfolding of that mystery will help to spur an
investigation into the history of his family and the region in general.

In contrast, Michael’s family history is more recent and immediate, and the traumas
therein serve to explore current social issues such as drug addiction and dysfunctional
law enforcement. Michael’s father, Victor, was a drug addict and a drug dealer, and he
had been arrested multiple times for drug-related crimes. Thus, a few years ago, when
police discovered his drug stash, Amber chose to take the blame and serve a five-year
prison sentence, in order to spare Victor a much longer sentence (since Victor had prior
convictions.) When Rosa tells all of this information to Noah, Noah protests that the
truth of Amber’s innocence should have revealed in a court trial. Rosa responds,
“Nobody gets a trial these days” (20). She elaborates that finically disadvantaged
people, like Amber, cannot afford private lawyers, and thus they must rely on public
defenders who are never given enough time or resources to prepare a proper defense.
Thus, people usually have no choice but to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced
sentence. In this way, the novel illustrates deeply ingrained, dysfunctional elements of
the modern U.S. court system, especially regarding drug laws. Moreover, because the
United States generally punishes drug addicts rather than helping to treat their
addictions, addicts generally end up in jail, or dead. Recently, Victor died of a drug
overdose, as he had no access to proper treatment.

The newly formed relationship between Noah and Michael is the central character
relationship of the novel; the story highlights the differences between them so that, as
the narrative progresses, the novel can demonstrate how two people can form a
connection even if they have had very different life experiences. First, Michael and
Noah are almost 70 years apart in age, and they had very different childhoods. Michael
is still in his youth, and his main interests, video games and social media, are tied fairly
close to the present era. Meanwhile, Noah is elderly, experienced, and has interests
that include science, art, and history. They also have very different temperaments. Noah
is patient and composed, while Michael appears to be irritable, foul-mouthed, and
somewhat hostile. It is apparent early on—both to Noah and to the reader—that

6
Michael’s temperament is a product of the environment in which he has been raised. He
has spent his entire life in a fairly harsh inner-city environment. Now, Noah essentially
has no choice but to take Michael on “A trip an eleven-year-old who’d never left the
States before might very well hate” (35). However, as the novel progresses, they
gradually form a bond despite their differences.

Discussion Question 1
Discuss the ways in which the novel introduces Noah as a character. What are his most
prominent traits and background dynamics in the novel’s first chapter?

Discussion Question 2
What pertinent facts does the novel introduce about Victor and Amber in the first
chapter? What are the narrative, thematic, and tonal effects of these pieces of
information?

Discussion Question 3
What are Noah’s apparent motivations for agreeing to be Michael’s temporary
guardian? How might these actions and motivations reflect on Noah’s
character/personality?

Vocabulary
literal, envy, prestigious, sole, generate, neurological, barb, benevolent, relief, tether,
slog, imminent, lurid, rebuke, naïveté, capacity, brim

7
Pages 53 – 107
Summary
Noah and Michael continue to converse in Noah’s apartment. Noah talks about how he
adopted the name Noah after moving to America, as kids made fun of his French name,
Noé. Michael admits that he can relate, as kids at school often tease him about his
mother being in prison. Michael asks why Noah has no children, and Noah replies that
he simply never wanted any. Noah finds Michael’s rudeness alternately perturbing and
refreshing. Michael remarks on how quiet Noah’s apartment building is; Michael says
that when he lived in an apartment with his parents, the neighbors were generally loud
and disruptive. Michael talks about his recently deceased grandmother, who often
functioned as a de facto guardian. He says she was strict, but he loved her. He adds
that she was religious, and he asks if Noah is religious. Noah says that he is not, and
that he focuses his faith in the realm of science, although he does not disdain religion.
Noah tries to talk to Michael about chemistry, but Michael grows bored. Michael talks
about a recent event in which a group of kids stole his skateboard. At the behest of his
grandmother, Michael chose to simply let go of his anger. Also, he did not call the police,
as doing so is considered weak in his community.

That evening, as Noah prepares dinner, he tells Michael some of his family history, such
as how Noah’s father lost a hand while serving as a soldier in World War One. The next
morning, Noah sees that Michael had trouble sleeping, likely due to the stress of the
many recent shifts in Michael’s personal situation. Noah goes over travel plans with
Michael. Noah shows Michael the mysterious photographs that Noah found in his
mother’s old belongings. Michael helps Noah to scan the photo of the old hotel and
insert the image into an internet search. The search engine states that the hotel is the
Hotel Excelsior in Nice. Noah switches their hotel arrangements to be in that building.
Later that day, Noah takes Michael to an art museum. The museum features
photographs by Noah’s grandfather, Pierre Personnet, who used the nom de plume
Père Sonne. Pierre was a renowned photographer, and Noah donated the photographs
to the museum after Margot died in 1992. Unfortunately, Michael shows little interest in
the photographs.

In Chapter 3, “Takeoff Speed,” Noah and Michael arrive at LaGuardia Airport for their
flight. Michael has never been on an airplane or in an airport before. Noah struggles to
manage Michael as they go through the various tasks of travel, such as the security
check. Noah also continues to try to bond with Michael, but Michael appears to have
few interests outside of using his phone to play video games and surf the internet. On
the plane, Noah reads a book about his grandfather’s life and work. Meanwhile, having
no internet access on the plane, Michael reluctantly reads a book of interesting facts
that Noah purchased for him. They converse a little on the plane, and Michael gradually
begins to show some interest in science and history as Noah talks about those subjects.

8
Analysis
Despite their personal differences, Noah and Michael begin to form a rapport, in large
part thanks to Noah’s personal patience and understanding, and thus both their
similarities and differences become grounds for interpersonal connection. It is important
to note that Noah's personal experience and composure help him to readily accept and
understand the more difficult aspects of Michael’s personality. Instead of being a
crotchety old man, Noah has a personal sense of equanimity that allows him to remain
open to the idea of forming a rapport with Michael, even when Michael is rude or
difficult. Noah even finds Michael’s more difficult personal traits to be intriguing: “Clearly
eleven-year-olds had no concept of which questions were rude; it was refreshing” (55).
Thus, instead of persistently reprimanding Michael for potentially problematic behaviors,
such as swearing, Noah resorts to only an occasional reprimand. Noah understands
that Michael has grown up in difficult circumstances. Moreover, Noah knows that his
temporary guardianship over Noah is only meant to last for a few weeks, so he has a
somewhat relaxed approach to his relationship with Michael. Fortunately, this approach
helps Michael to relax somewhat as well, and they converse with relative openness,
thereby laying the groundwork for a more significant rapport as the story progresses.

Noah and Michael’s rapport also begins to develop on the basis of shared familial
history, for while Michael is only occasionally interested in what Noah says about their
shared relatives, this familial connection is a consistent basis of connection between
them. Because Michael is Noah’s grandnephew, all of Noah’s relatives are Michael’s
relatives as well. However, Noah’s parents and grandparents are distant enough
relatives from Michael that Michael has no significant prior knowledge of them. Thus,
Noah attempts to use his own knowledge of these relatives as a means of furthering his
interpersonal connection with Michael. For example, Noah knows that his grandfather—
Pierre Personnet, a.k.a. Père Sonne—was a fairly renowned photographer. Thus, Noah
attempts to use Pierre’s life and art to encourage Michael to take an interest in art and
familial history. Michael shows little interest in these subjects at first. When they visit the
museum exhibit, Michael asks “Can we go?” (87) after only a short time. However Noah
remains persistent, and Michael begins to show at least a nominal interest. On the
plane, Noah manages to engage Michael by showing him photographs from the book
about Pierre’s life and work. Some of the photos depict Noah’s mother, and Michael
begins to show some interest in these people to whom he is related.

Noah and Michael continue to experience some interpersonal friction based on

generational differences, but the narrative advocates for the idea that every generation’s
experiences are valuable, and thus the sharing of these experiences is mutually
beneficial. As Noah and Michael embark on their trip, it becomes increasingly apparent
to Noah that his and Michael’s means of interacting with the world are very different.
Instead of being interested in things like reading and academics, Noah is instead more
interested in video games and surfing the internet. When Noah says to Michael, “You
must read books sometimes” (95), Michael responds that he has not read books for fun
ever since he received an internet-enabled smartphone from his mother. When Noah
buys a book for Michael to read on the plane, he does not do so with an air of dismissal

9
towards things like video games and the internet. Noah simply appears to believe that
reading is necessary in addition to those other experiences. Thus, the novel does not
dismiss or belittle generational differences, but it does highlight the advantages of
intergenerational communication.

Discussion Question 1
What are the dynamics of Noah and Michael’s initial rapport? What are the causes and
possible thematic significances of these dynamics?

Discussion Question 2
Discuss Michael’s anecdote about his stolen skateboard. What are the possible
meanings and significances of this anecdote and the ways in which Michael frames it?

Discussion Question 3
In what ways does Noah try to engage Michael? What are Noah’s possible motivations
for doing so, and how do these attempts affect his rapport with Michael?

Vocabulary
yelp, mirth, convince, secular, indefinite, disruption, recreational, hazardous, absurd,
precious, discard, amputate, phantom, stride surname, startle, residual

10
Pages 108 – 162
Summary
As the plane ride continues, Noah shows Michael a photo of Pierre. In the photo, Pierre
is wearing a fedora. Noah reveals that it is the same fedora that Noah himself is
currently wearing. Michael is mildly impressed by this revelation. Noah also explains
that Pierre’s no de plume—Père Sonne—sounds like the French word that means both
‘person’ and ‘no one.’ Also, Sonne sounds like the French word for the sound that a bell
makes. The plane eventually lands in Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. They have a
brief layover. Noah and Michael briefly discuss politics. Noah says that the modern ‘alt-
right’ white supremacists are the same as the Nazis of past eras; both groups are
devoid of morality and compassion. The soon board their flight to Nice. They fly from
Paris to Nice in a small plane. Before going to the hotel in Nice, they walk down the city
streets for a short period of time. Noah notices that Michael takes a lot of photos with
his phone.

As they ride in a taxi to the hotel, Noah talks to Michael about some of the local history,
as well as some of Noah’s family history there. They arrive at the Hotel Excelsior, and
Noah once again wonders why Margot had taken a photo of it. In Chapter 4, “The
Promenade,” Noah takes a nap in the hotel room. After he awakes, Noah and Michael
leave to hotel to venture out into the city. Because they are in the southern region of
France, it is fairly warm outside, despite the fact that it is February. They stop at a
restaurant for a late lunch. Noah asks Michael what Michael’s grandmother cooked for
him. Michael says that their options were limited due to financial constraints. Michael’s
grandmother relied on government food stamps. After they leave the restaurant, Michael
notices a poster that has been vandalized. Noah explains that the poster depicts right-
wing French politician Marine Le Pen, whom many people agree has dangerously
fascistic ideas.

They pass a place where famous dancer Isadora Duncan died in a car accident. Noah
explains the incident and says that Pierre often photographed famous people, including
Isadora Duncan. Noah then talks about the complicated political history of Nice, as
many different countries and kingdoms fought to control it over the centuries. Noah then
thinks about the photo of a young boy he found in Margot’s belongings. The photo had
the initials RJ on it. He wonders if perhaps Margot secretly had another child. Back at
the hotel, Noah helps Michael send an e-mail to Amber via a pay-per-message system
designed for communicating with inmates. Noah realizes that he has grown somewhat
fond of Michael, and he wonders if Michael will ever want to visit him in the future. Noah
and Michael soon find a plaque in front of the Hotel Excelsior, that states that it was
used as a Nazi base. Nervously, Noah begins to wonder if maybe Margot had a sexual
relationship with a Nazi in order to arrange protection for herself. He tries to dismiss this
theory, as he has no real evidence for it.

11
Analysis
Despite the fact that Noah and Michael’s relationship appears to remain fairly static,
there also appears to be a growing connection between them, as familial connections
continue to occupy a central thematic position in the novel. As Noah and Michael begin
to tour Nice, Noah continues to tell stories of their shared family members, such as
Margot and Pierre. These stories have the implicit effect of further emphasizing the
familial connection between Noah and Michael. Moreover, simply by the act of spending
time together, their rapport becomes gradually stronger and more normalized. Although
they experience some friction due to their personal differences, Michael is often
interested in Noah’s stories and anecdotes, and Noah is often interested in Michael’s
personal experiences as well. For example, Michael is generally engaged by Noah’s
anecdotes about Pierre’s life and work, and Noah actively asks questions about
Michael’s own life. Noah’s growing sense of connection to Michael is starkly evident
when he begins to wonder if he Michael will ever want to visit him in the future: “Maybe
Michael could come into Manhattan for the odd Saturday outing?” (156). Noah also
becomes more invested in Michael’s family connections, such as when Noah helps
Michael send an e-mail to Amber. Thus, Michael has begun to occupy a more central
position Noah’s life and self-identity.

This section of the novel begins to address past and present political ideas more
directly, thereby drawing salient political connections between the current time period
and the time of Noah’s childhood. The novel first addresses these parallels during Noah
and Michael’s plane ride. In conversation, Michael mentions the ‘alt-right’ white
supremacist movement of modern-day America. Noah responds, “Don’t call them that.
They’re not an alternative, they’re the same old racists” (114). The novel emphasizes
the horrific nature of modern white supremacist movements by pointing out that their
ideologies are identical to the agenda of Hitler’s Nazi Party, which caused the deaths of
millions of innocent people. Another notable instance of political examination occurs
when Noah and Michael walk through the streets of Nice. Michael notices a vandalize
poster of right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen. Noah and the narrative draw
implicit connections between Le Pen, dangerously right-wing politics, and similar
movements of the past, like Hitler’s Nazi Party. The narrative thereby encourages the
reader to examine history as a means of examining dangerous political dynamics of the
present.

As Noah begins to investigate the mystery of the photographs, he begins to formulate

potentially disturbing theories about his mother’s life, thereby highlighting the often
fraught and complicated dynamics of wartime. After spending some time in Nice and in
the Hotel Excelsior, Noah and Michael learn that the Hotel Excelsior was used as a Nazi
base during World War II. This fact, along with the photos that Noah found in Margot’s
belongings, cause Noah to speculate about Margot’s time in Nazi-occupied France.
Noah theorizes that the young boy in the photo might have been a child that Margot had
in secret, and the photo of the hotel causes Noah to theorize that the father of the child
might have been a Nazi: “Had Margot, like so many other Frenchwomen, in fear or
loathing or defiance, for fun or for food, taken up with one of the invaders?” (158).

12
Fortunately, Noah’s various troubling theories eventually prove to be false. However, for
now, these theories stand as real possibilities, as wartime often poses many difficult
moral situations, even for the victims of wartime’s destructive effects.

Discussion Question 1
What are the most significant or compelling things that Noah says about Pierre and
about Pierre’s photographs? In what apparent ways are these elements significant to
the story?

Discussion Question 2
What are Noah and Michael’s initial reactions to the city of Nice? How do their
respective reactions reflect upon their respective personalities?

Discussion Question 3
What political statements does the novel appear to make in Chapters 3 and 4? How
does it make these statements, and what are their significances?

Vocabulary
cellophane, helix, abscess, oddity, scurrilous, ancestor, brood, groggy, haggard,
thrombosis, insulation, clash, oblige, decamp, clime

13
Pages 163 – 218
Summary
In the evening, Noah takes a look through the journal in which Michael is supposed to
be writing. (Michael is taking time off of school for the trip, so the journal counts towards
school credit.) Noah sees that Michael has mostly just drawn humorous, gruesome
drawings of things tangentially related to their experiences on the trip. They have local
seafood for dinner, and Noah manages to make Michel laugh by making a somewhat
crass joke. Michael briefly talks about his family, like his uncle Cody. Cody is paralyzed
below the waist due to a ricochet bullet fired by an armed robber. Noah briefly reflects
on how living in neighborhoods with high crime rates is kind of like living in a city under
siege during wartime. As Noah struggles to fall asleep that night, he wonders if Margot
could possibly have secretly worked as an informer for the Nazis. He tries to dismiss the
idea, as it does not square with his own knowledge of his mother as a kind and moral
person.

In Chapter 5, “Neither Here Nor There,” Noah and Michael awake in the hotel room the
next morning. Noah proposes various activities that they could do that day, but Michael
shows no interest in any of them. They leave the hotel and pass a school with a
historical plaque; the plaque states that students from that school fought and died for
the French Resistance. As they continue to tour the area, Noah tries not to think about
how Margot was possibly a Nazi informer. He tries to think if there is anyone still in Nice
who would have known his mother. As Noah and Michael continue to confront the many
horrors of the local history, Noah thinks aloud about religion and science, and how they
help people gain some meaning and solace in the face of human chaos.

Noah then talks about war rations, and how they are kind of like the government food
stamps on which Michael’s grandmother subsisted. Michael then compares the violence
in Nazi-occupied Nice to the violence in his Brooklyn neighborhood. Noah then says
that many Resistance fighters used aliases, the term for which was ‘nom de guerre.’
Michael speculates that maybe some of the initials on the photos may be wartime
aliases, and Noah is struck by the astuteness of that theory. Noah locates a local
archivist, Monsieur Benoit, who identifies two people in Margot’s photographs as
members of the Marcel Network, a group based in Nice that helped to forge documents
for the French Resistance. The network mostly used those documents to transport
children to safety, usually hiding them in monasteries. Benoit agrees to do more
research and contact Noah. Later in the day, Noah and Michael begin to grow irritated
with each other, and Michael grows more unruly. Back at the hotel, Noah wonders, with
horror, if Margot had helped Nazis track and arrest members of the Marcel Network.

In Chapter 6, “The Law of Closure,” during breakfast the next morning, Noah and
Michael discuss morbid subjects related to death, and Michael appears fascinated.
Noah goes swimming at the nearby beach while Michael watches. Michael is ecstatic
when he films Noah accidentally losing his balance in the water.

14
Analysis
As the story progresses, the narrative continues to draw parallels between the present
day and history; the loose connections between American inner-cities and Nazi-
occupied France specifically demonstrate how human strife persists in the modern era,
with some striking similarities. The novel first broaches this idea when Michael recounts
the story of how his uncle Cody became paralyzed below the waist; Cody was hit in the
spine by a ricochet bullet form an armed robber. The narration then states, “Noah had
never thought of rough neighborhoods quite that way before: like living under siege”
(166). These chapters visit that idea multiple times, not only in terms of violence, but
also in terms of scarcity of resources. For example, in Chapter 6, Noah compares
wartime rations with the food stamps upon which impoverished Americans—such as
Michael’s grandmother—must often subsist. The overall effect of these comparisons is a
sense of sociopolitical obligation to address these persistent issues. People can easily
recognize the hardships and injustices suffered in wartime. However, people do not
always recognize the ways in which similar hardships persist in impoverished
neighborhoods in the present day.

As Noah and Michael’s interpersonal relationship continues to develop, the trajectory of

that development experiences both peaks and valleys, thereby demonstrating the
necessity of overcoming interpersonal friction. As Noah and Michael’s trip continues,
Noah remains committed to forming a more solid rapport with Michael. Noah soon
appears to realize that in order to develop this rapport, he must sometimes
communicate with Michael in the more crass terms that Michael often uses. For
example, Noah manages to make Michael laugh in Chapter 4. However, Michael’s
immaturity remains an occasional obstacle, as Michael continues to generally dislike the
trip, and he even grows more unruly. Noah even finds Michael “slashing at a flowerbed
with a stick” (202), in public, apparently as a means of expressing frustration and
discontentment. This incident leads to further discord between them. However, the
mood between them soon settles once again, indicating that they may be able to
overcome such setbacks. The next day, when Michael laughs at Noah losing balance in
the water, this incident seems to epitomize the somewhat complicated nature of their
relationship, as it is partially standoffish and partially affectionate.

Another sign of the growing depth of their relationship is their ability to mutually broach
difficult, even frightening subjects; the novel thereby demonstrates how emotional
intimacy bears a direct relationship to shared resilience. In Chapters 5 and 6, Noah and
Michael have conversations about weighty subjects such as science, religion, and
death. Firstly, in Chapter 5, Noah talks to Michael about how subjects such as science
and religion help people to gain a sense of meaning and solace, despite the many
horrors of the world. Then, in Chapter 6, they discuss subjects related to death,
including life expectancy, war, and climate change. The frankness with which they
discuss these subjects appears to indicate a growing sense of trust and candor between
Noah and Michael. In addition, their candid discussions may also have the effect of, in
turn, further deepening that sense of trust between them. Although they still have some

15
interpersonal friction, they have developed a much deeper sense of trust and support
since when they first met each other, mere days ago.

Discussion Question 1
Describe the contents of Michael’s journal. How do Michael’s journals entries relate to
the novel’s overall story and tone?

Discussion Question 2
What anecdotes does Michael recall from his time in Brooklyn and from his family
members’ experiences there? What significances does Noah draw from these
anecdotes, and how are Noah’s interpretations relevant to the overall novel?

Discussion Question 3
What things do Noah and Michael learn about Nice’s wartime history in this section of
the novel? How do these pieces of information relate to the main themes and narrative?

Vocabulary
panorama, philosopher, mercurial, memento, attribute, resemblance, mortality,
treacherous, hoarse, jolt, inmate, furious, fatigue, rudimentary, fastidious

16
Pages 219 – 275
Summary
Noah and Michael eat lunch at a restaurant, and Noah looks through the book of
Pierre’s work. He shows Michael a series of photos that Pierre took of various famous
people. Eventually, he stopped taking photos of famous people, and he instead focused
on taking pictures of regular people in everyday situations, as a means of celebrating
the everyday. Michael begins to show a genuine interest in Pierre’s work, as Noah
continues to explain it. They visit the ruins of an old gladiatorial arena, and they look in a
small, adjacent museum. They then visit a building that used to be a base of the Marcel
Network. Michael impulsively begins climbing the fence that surrounds the building.
Noah panics and tells Michael to come down, which Michael eventually does. Michael
then produces from his backpack a replica gladiator helmet, which he stole from the
small museum. Noah, exasperated, says that they will return it later.

Back at the hotel, Michael shows Noah some photographs of his mother in prison. One
shows a tattoo that Amber has of the letter ‘M’ for Michael. Michael reveals that he has a
similar tattoo of the letters F.O.E., which stands for ‘family over everything.’ Noah then
impresses Michael with a science trick in which he uses absorbent chemicals to make
water disappear. They then go to a circus, and Noah and Michael have a surprisingly
good time.

In Chapter 7, “Nom de Guerre,” Noah does some more internet research on the Hotel
Excelsior and sees that Nazis sometimes tortured people there. Later in the day, he
receives a phone call from the archivist to whom he spoke a couple days prior. The
archivist says that there was a French resistance fighter named Mare Zabel. Her initials
—MZ—match one of the sets of initials on Margot’s photos. Marie Zabel helped the
Marcel network with forgeries. There is no record of Marie Zabel after the end of World
War II. Noah tells this information to Michael, and they soon realize that ‘Marie Zabel’
was likely a nom de guerre used by Margot, as her middle name was Isabelle. They are
elated to realize that Margot likely worked for the resistance, not for the Nazis.

Later, back at the hotel, Noah asks Michael some more questions about Amber’s legal
case. Noah then does some internet research and soon deduces that Michael’s father
(Victor) was likely a ‘CI,’ which stands for Confidential Informant or Criminal Informant. A
CI is a convicted criminal whom the police coerce into reporting on other criminals in
order to lower the CI’s criminal sentences, etc. The use of CI’s is a widespread practice
but is often protested as immoral. Noah realizes that after the police caught Victor—a
convicted drug dealer-turned \-CI—with a stash of drugs, the police decided to pin the
charges on Amber so that they could continue to use Victor as a CI. Noah decides not
to broach the subject with Michael or Amber. Noah begins to rethink his idea that it is a
good idea to always trust the police in America.

17
Analysis
When Michael finally begins to show a genuine interest in the work of Pierre Personnet,
the moment represents a major step in the growing bond between Michael and Noah.
Throughout the novel so far, Michael has generally shown a limited, often nonexistent
interest in the things that Noah finds interesting, such as art, science, and history.
However, Michael begins to finally let his guard down in this chapter, when Noah shows
him some more photographs by Pierre. Noah eloquently explains some of the possible
meanings and techniques behind the photographs, and Michael appears to be
legitimately impressed. Michael even says at one point, “That’s genius” (224) and then
begins to offer his own ideas about the photos. Not long after, Michael makes himself
even more vulnerable by sharing photos of his mother in prison, and then showing Noah
the tattoo that Michael has. Michael even begins to show an interest in science when
Noah uses chemicals to perform a water-absorbing trick in their hotel room. There is still
some friction in their relationship, largely due to Michael’s impulsiveness and unruliness.
(For example, Michael steals from the gladiator museum and then trespasses by
climbing over a fence.) Nonetheless, Michael and Noah have begun to form a deeper
connection as their perspectives begin to merge more meaningfully.

The revelation about Margot in this chapter is a deep relief to Noah, and on a thematic
level, it helps to emphasize both the risks and necessities of performing moral actions
even in dire circumstances. In this chapter, Noah receives a call from the archivist, who
tells him that the ‘MZ’ on Margot’s photographs probably stands for ‘Marie Zabel,’ an
obscure but active resistance fighter in Nice during World War II. Noah and Michael
then deduce that ‘Marie Zabel’ was likely the nom de guerre of Noah’s mother, Margot
Isabelle Personnet. Noah is delighted and relieved to learn that Margot most likely
fought for the resistance and not for the Nazis. If Margot was indeed Marie Zabel, then
she spent the war helping the Marcel Network forge documents and bring children to
safety, out of Nazi-occupied France. However, Noah’s relief necessarily leads to other
worries and anxieties. As a member of the resistance, Margot faced grave risks. For
example, Noah learns that the Nazis often tortured resistance members in the Hotel
Excelsior. Thus, although Margot survived the war, she may have undergone painful
and harrowing experiences. (This anxiety becomes a central element of the narrative
later on.) Nonetheless, Margot’s work was just as moral and commendable (and in fact,
even more so) due to these risks.

Noah’s conclusions about Victor and Amber serve to illuminate further injustices within
the modern American justice system. Noah specifically deduces that Victor was likely a
CI (‘Criminal Informant’ or ‘Confidential Informant’) for the police. In other words, the
police forced Victor to be an informant for them, otherwise he would have been given a
very long jail sentence for his drug-related criminal charges. The narrative highlights the
problematic, immoral nature of such a system, especially in light of the fact that the
narrative has already examined the harsh and destructive nature of modern U.S. drug
laws/enforcement. Noah notes, “The CIs weren’t choosing to turn on their neighbor;
they were forced into it by the hope of going home to their families” (272). These

18
discoveries compel Noah to further reconsider his trust in the U.S. police and the U.S.
legal system.

Discussion Question 1
In what ways does Michael misbehave during the trip? What are the causes and
possible significances of Michael’s unruliness?

Discussion Question 2
Discuss the revelation that Margot worked for the French Resistance. What are Noah
and Michael’s reactions to this revelation, and how does it fit into Margot overall
character arc?

Discussion Question 3
What is a Criminal Informant (CI), and how does that concept fit into the main narrative?
What are Noah’s reflections on the concept, and how do those reflections relate to other
thematic elements of the novel?

Vocabulary
desperate, forum, torsion, stifle, hypocrite, crockery, mawkish, stamina, succumb,
crossfire, fume, marzipan, defiance, redolent, municipal

19
Pages 276 – 335
Summary
In Chapter 8, “Schooled,” Noah and Michael awake the next day and meet with Coco, a
woman whom Noah had known when they were both young. Noah’s family had hired
Coco’s mother to clean their house regularly. Coco recalls that, shortly before the end of
the war, Margot was forcibly brought into the Hotel Excelsior by Nazis, apparently for
some type of punishment, although Margot never spoke to anyone about what had
happened. Later, Noah and Michael confer about this new information. They realize that
she was likely tortured by the Nazis for information, and that she may have even given
them information, which might explain why she never spoke about her participation in
the Resistance to anyone throughout the rest of her life. Fortunately, her torture
occurred close enough to the time of the Nazis being driven out of France that even if
she had given information, it would not have helped to Nazis.

Later, Noah and Michael participate in some of the public celebration of Carnival, Nice’s
big annual festival. They join a crowd to watch a big parade. Noah is dismayed when his
fedora (which he inherited from Pierre) becomes stained due to the general detritus and
debris of the celebration. Noah and Michael soon become embroiled in their angriest,
most fervent argument so far. Michael runs away in anger and frustration, and Noah
cannot find him in the crowd. Noah goes to a police station to report Michael’s
disappearance. Noah then returns to the hotel and finds Michael there. They leave the
hotel to go eat. However, Noah reprimands Michael for running, and they begin to argue
again. Michael runs away once again, and this time, he jumps into the nearby ocean.
Noah retrieves him, and they return to the hotel to dry off. They are both calmer now,
and they begin to reconcile. Noah realizes that it is past midnight and that it is now his
eightieth birthday.

In Chapter 9, “Decisive Moments,” they awake in the morning. Noah thinks about Victor
again and realizes that he may actually have been murdered by people who discovered
he was a CI. Noah decides to keep this idea to himself. Noah and Michael visit a nearby
cemetery to see the graves of Noah’s maternal grandparents, Pierre and Isabelle. At
Michael’s suggestion, they take a picture with the graves. Noah looks at other pictures
on Michael’s phone and sincerely says that Michael is a good photographer. Later,
Noah receives an e-mail from Benoit the archivist with information about René Jacques,
the boy in one of Margot’s photos. His real name is Lucien Demetz, but his forged
documents during the war said René Jacques. Lucien is now an old man, and Noah and
Michael visit him in a nursing home. Lucien manages to communicate that Margot did
indeed help him escape Nazi-occupied France when he was a boy, by helping to forge
documents for him. On the last day of the trip, Noah proposes the idea of continuing to
be Michael’s guardian until Amber is released. Michael appears to approve of the idea,
and as they go to the airport to return to New York, Noah feels grateful and fulfilled.

20
Analysis
Coco’s revelations—and Noah and Michael’s resulting conclusions—further contrast the
heroic nature of Margot’s work with the persistent terrors of injustice. In other words, the
novel encourages the reader to consider both the necessity of moral action and the
destructive nature of aggression, violence, and other immoral behaviors. When Michael
and Noah meet with Coco, she reveals to them that Nazis forcibly brought Margot into
the Hotel Excelsior. Noah and Michael conclude that Margot was likely tortured for
information. In addition, they realize that there is no way of knowing whether Margot
broke down and gave the Nazis information about the Resistance, as the torture
occurred too close to the time of the Nazis being driven out of France for the Nazis to
use such information. Moreover, Noah notes, “Those who survived torture said the
worst scars were in the mind” (286). The mystery and implicit horror surrounding this
moment in Margot’s life serve to further emphasize the many horrors of that historical
time period, meaning the many atrocities committed by the Nazis. Thus, the novel
continues to juxtapose dynamics of heroism with dynamics of immorality.

On a more positive note, Noah and Michael’s interaction with Lucien Demetz further
emphasizes the benefits of heroism, as Lucien’s life is itself a testament to the positive
effects of Margot’s work with the Resistance. The archivist, Benoit, informs Noah that
“René Jacques, that was Lucien Demetz’s nom de guerre, the war name the Marcel
Network gave him. René Jacques—RJ” (315). Noah and Michael visit the now elderly
Lucien in the hopes that he is the ‘RJ’ depicted in one of Margot’s photos, and they are
able to confirm that he is. Thus, they gave come face-to-face with a person who was
able to live a long life thanks to Margot’s efforts. Lucien therefore stands as a concrete
example of the benefits of pursuing moral action, even when one has to risk one’s own
safety to do so.

Although the novel does not give a concrete answer about the true circumstances of
Victor’s death, Noah’s speculations on that subject help to further emphasize the
destructive nature of police practices such as coercing informants. Noah wonders why,
after Victor’s death, no information about Victor being a CI was ever revealed. Noah
realizes that the police likely wanted to keep that a secret, especially if Victor was
murdered, as such events would discourage other people from agreeing to be CIs.
Noah speculates, “Had the dealers found Victor’s wire, then held him facedown on the
carpet and stuck that syringe in the back of his knee? Possible. Likely even. But
unproven. Unprovable now?” (306). Thus, unlike in the case of Margot, who had
voluntarily put herself in danger to help others, Victor had been forced by the police to
put himself in danger in order to help the police. This juxtaposition highlights the
differences between heroism and duress.

By the end of the novel, Noah and Michael appear to have formed a deep and
everlasting bond, for despite their differences and their moments of friction, their familial
bond flourishes into a relationship of mutual care and admiration. Not only is Michael
apparently moved by experiences such as learning about Margot and meeting Lucien,
but Noah has developed a true fondness for Michael and even an admiration for traits

21
such as Michael’s apparent photographic skills. (Michael’s adeptness for photography
may be interpreted as a type of metaphorical genealogical link with the likes of Pierre
and Margot.) This bond ultimately leads to Noah’s willingness to be Michael’s guardian
for the remaining time of Amber’s sentence, and Noah is grateful when Michael assents
to the idea. Noah’s gratitude is evident in the very last line of the novel, when he thinks
to himself “Merci, merci, mille mercis” (335). This line is in French and translates to
“Thanks, thanks, a thousand thanks.”

Discussion Question 1
Discuss Noah and Michael’s conclusions surrounding the possibility that Margot was
tortured by Nazis. How do these conclusions fit into the novel’s themes and Margot’s
character arc?

Discussion Question 2
How does the novel portray Noah and Michael’s interaction with Lucien Demetz? What
are the significances of this interaction?

Discussion Question 3
Describe the main relationship dynamics between Noah and Michael at the end of the
novel. How has their relationship evolved over the course of the novel?

Vocabulary
scoff, render, swivel, bas-relief, advantage, anticlimax, grouse, miserable, inheritance,
sapling, cavort, preoccupation, beckon, crest, mortify

22
Characters
Noé “Noah” Selvaggio
Noé Selvaggio is the novel’s protagonist. He is Jewish and was born in Nice, France.
When he was four years old, he and his sister and father fled to America to escape the
invading Nazis. After arriving in America, he adopted the name Noah. During the novel’s
main narrative, he is 79 years old, about to turn 80. He worked as a chemist throughout
his adult life, and he only recently retired. His wife, Joan, is deceased, so he lives alone
in his apartment in New York City, in the borough of Manhattan. After planning a trip to
visit Nice for his eightieth birthday, he learns that he has an 11-year-old grandnephew
named Michael. Because Michael’s mother is in jail and his father recently died, he will
be turned over to the foster care system unless Noah agrees to take care of him for a
few weeks while a more permanent situation is arranged.

Noah reluctantly agrees to be Michael’s temporary guardian for the next few weeks.
However, Noah refuses to cancel his trip to Nice, so his only option is to take Michael
with him. Despite Michael’s repeated rudeness and vulgarity, Noah generally manages
to maintain patience and composure towards him. During the course of the trip, Noah
and Michael tour the city and investigate the life of Noah’s mother, as she stayed in Nice
until the war ended. Noah also researches some potentially strange circumstances
surrounding the imprisonment of Michael’s mother and the death of Michael’s father. By
the end of the trip, Noah and Michael have formed a deep familial bond, and Noah
agrees to be Michael’s guardian for the remaining few years of Michael’s mother’s
prison sentence.

Michael Young
Michael Young is Noah’s grandnephew. Michael is the son of Victor, a nephew of Noah’s
from whom Noah is estranged. Thus, Noah and Michael meet for the first time when
Michael is 11 years old. Michael’s father and maternal grandmother have recently died,
and his mother is in prison. Noah agrees to be Michael’s temporary guardian for the
next few weeks, while social services find a more permanent living arrangement for
Michael. Michael has grown up in a somewhat dangerous, low-income neighborhood in
the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Michael’s main interests include video games
and social media, and his demeanor is fairly brusque. Michael goes on the trip to Nice
with Noah only because Michael has no other choice.

Michael has never even been on an airplane before, let alone traveled internationally.
He does not enjoy much of the trip, and he is often rude and vulgar towards Noah.
However, Noah shows patience with Michael. Noah educates Michael on interesting
facts about Noah’s mother and grandfather. Together, they investigate the life of Noah’s
mother and discover that she worked for the French Resistance. Michael is eventually
moved by these discoveries and by learning about the history of Nice and World War

23
Two. By the end of the novel, Michael and Noah have formed a close bond, and Michael
agrees to let Noah be his guardian for the remaining few years of Michael’s mother’s
prison sentence.

Margot Isabelle Personnet

Margot was Noah’s mother. She died of old age in 1992, meaning she is deceased for
the entirety of the novel’s main narrative. However, she features prominently in the
novel, for when Noah and Michael go to Nice, they decide to investigate Margot’s life,
specifically the years she spent in Nazi-occupied France. During World War II, her
husband and children fled to America to escape the Nazis. However, Margot stayed
behind in order to take care of her aging father. After he died of old age in 1944, and
after the Nazis were driven out of France, Margot went to America to be with her family.
Shortly before leaving for Nice, Noah finds some strange photographs in Margot’s
belongings. He uses these photographs to guide his investigation.

Noah fears at first that Margot may have been a secret informant working for the Nazis.
However, this idea does not square with his knowledge of Margot as a good and moral
person. With the help of a local researcher, Noah eventually discovers that Margot
actually worked for the French Resistance, against the Nazis. Margot specifically helped
to forge documents that allowed the Resistance to big children to safety. She used the
wartime alias ‘Marie Zabel.’ Noah also discovers that Margot was likely captured and
tortured by the Nazis near the end of the war. It is possible that Margot broke down and
gave the Nazis information, but it was too late in the war for the Nazis to actually act on
any information.

Pierre Personnet, a.k.a. Père Sonne

Pierre Personnet was Margot’s father and Noah’s grandfather. He was a renowned
photographer. He died in Nice of old age in 1944, around the time that the Nazis were
driven out of France. When Margot’s husband and children fled France, Margot stayed
behind in order to take care of her aging father.

When Noah and Michael travel to France, Noah bring along a book about Pierre’s life
and work. Noah occasionally shows Michael photographs from the book and explains
the interesting elements of the photographs. Michael shows only disinterest at first, but
he eventually grows to appreciate Pierre’s photos. Towards the end of the trip, Noah
and Michael visit the graves of Pierre and his wife (Noah’s grandmother.)

Victor
Victor was Michael’s father. Victor was a drug dealer and addict, and he died of an
apparent overdose one day. Moreover, Amber is in jail because she apparently took the
blame for a stash of drugs that the police discovered, as she would receive a short
sentence since she had no prior convictions. However, during Noah and Michael’s time

24
in Nice, Noah begins to ponder and research Victor’s case. He realizes that Victor was
likely coerced by the police into becoming a CI (Criminal Informant) in exchange for
having criminal charges against him dropped. It is also likely that Victor was actually
murdered by people who discovered he was a CI.

Amber
Amber is Michael’s mother. She appears to be a kind and loving woman, and she is
unfortunately in the middle of a five-year jail sentence. She had no prior criminal
convictions, and she apparently took the blame for a stash of Victor’s drugs discovered
by the police as victor would have received a long jail sentence due to prior convictions.
However, after Noah deduces that Victor was likely forced by the police into being a CI
(Criminal Informant), Noah also concludes that the police forcibly pinned the charges on
Amber rather than having to re-arrest their informant (Victor). Noah’s discoveries about
Amber and Victor lead him to realize many deep injustices in the modern American
justice system.

Rosa Figueroa
Rosa Figueroa is the social worker in charge of Michael’s case. She contacts Noah and
persuades him to be Michael’s temporary guardian for a few weeks, while Rosa
searches for a more permanent situation for Michael. Michael also tells Noah some
information about Michael’s death and Amber’s imprisonment. This information provides
Michael’s first glimpses into the injustices of the American justice system, and his further
investigations reveal additional injustices.

Joan
Joan was Noah’s wife. She died a few years prior to the main narrative. Like Noah, she
was a chemist. Throughout the course of the novel, Noah sometimes imagines
conversations with Joan. These conversations are always relevant to matters at hand.
By imagining what Joan would say in a given situation, Noah is better able to decide
what to do.

Fernande
Fernande was Noah’s younger sister. She worked as a secretary, and she retired in her
seventies. She died several years prior to the main narrative. When Noah and Fernande
were very young, they fled from France with their father (Marc) and immigrated to the
United States.

25
Cody
Cody is Michael’s uncle. He never directly appears in the novel, but he is mentioned a
few times. He lives in a somewhat dangerous, low-income neighborhood of Brooklyn.
One day, he was hit by a bullet ricochet; the bullet was shot by an armed robber in a
store. The bullet struck Cody’s spine and paralyzed him from the waist down.

Grandma
Michael’s unnamed grandmother (Amber’s mother) dies of old age shortly before the
novel’s main narrative begins. She was Michael’s guardian following Amber’s arrest and
imprisonment. Michael’s grandmother did not have much money, and she and Michael
relied on government-issued food stamps. She was strict but kind, and Michael loved
her very much.

Coco
Coco is an elderly women who lives in nice. She is close in age to Noah. When she was
a young child, her mother worked as a housekeeper for Noah’s family. During the main
narrative, Noah contacts Coco to see if she remembers anything about Margot.

Monsieur Benoit
Monsieur Benoit is a man who works as a historical archivist in Nice. Noah asks Benoit
to see if he can find any relevant information that might shed light on Margot’s
photographs and the initials written on them. Benoit helps Noah discover that Margot
worked as a member of the French Resistance during World War II. Benoit also
discovers the identity of one of the children whom Margot helped to save.

Lucien Demetz, a.k.a. René Jacques

Lucien Demetz is an elderly man living in a nursing home in Nice. When he was a child
during World War II, Margot and other Resistance members helped to bring him to
safety. They gave him fake documents that listed his name as René Jacques. During
Noah and Michael’s trip to Nice, they meet with Lucien, and Lucien manages to
communicate that Margot did, indeed, help to save him.

26
Symbols and Symbolism
Photography
Photography in the novel symbolizes connection to the world and to one’s family. Pierre,
Margot, and Michael are all characters who engage in the activity of photography. Thus,
even before Michael learns about Pierre and Margot, he already has this connection to
them as he takes pictures for fun and for social media. Moreover, each of these
characters use photography as a way of connecting to, and even influencing, the world
around them.

Genealogy
Genealogy and family connections symbolize the inherent significances of familial
relationships. While the novel does not dismiss the idea that family relationships can be
toxic or unstable, it also acknowledges the value of attempting to nurture healthy family
relationships. Noah and Michael form a lasting bond on the basis of their familial
relationship, and Michael even takes an interest in the lives of relatives who died before
he was born.

History
In the novel, history symbolizes the fundamental value of drawing connections between
the past and the present. As the characters and the reader learn about the history of
Nazi-occupied France, this history stands as a reminder of the possibility of widespread
horror and atrocities. It also stands as a reminder of the necessity of righteous moral
action. Moreover, Noah and Michael draw connections between history and the present
day that highlight persistent social injustices.

Drug Laws
In the novel, American drug laws symbolize the potential for injustice within justice
systems. The novel repeatedly illustrates how the criminalization of drug use in America
—rather than treatment and rehabilitation—often only exacerbates drug problems and
punishes addicts rather than helps them. Victor stands as the most central
representative of these ideas.

Criminal Informants
In the novel, Criminal Informants (CIs) symbolize unjust coercion by law enforcement
officers. Noah discovers that Victor was likely a Criminal Informant (CI) for the police,
meaning the police forced him to be an informant in exchange for dropping charges

27
against him. Moreover, Victor was likely murdered when other people discovered that
he was a CI.

Hotel Excelsior
The Hotel Excelsior symbolizes personal and historical scars. Noah learns that the
Hotel Excelsior in Nice was used by Nazis as a base, and that they tortured people in
the hotel to try to wring information from them. Noah also learns that his mother was
likely tortured there. In the present day, the hotel is still standing, and it still operates as
a hotel. Its edifice, along with a plaque in front of it, serves as potent reminders of the
aforementioned atrocities.

Inner City Crime

In the novel, crime in inner city New York symbolizes possible parallels between high-
crime neighborhoods and occupied cities in wartime. When Noah hears anecdotes of
violent crime from Michael, Noah realizes that the dangers of such neighborhoods are
somewhat similar to the dangers of occupied cities in wartime. Notably, Noah draws
some connections between American police and Nazi enforcers, as American police
often utilize immoral techniques to enforce laws that are in themselves morally dubious.

The Resistance
In the novel, the French Resistance symbolizes the value of moral action, even (and
especially) in the face of personal risk. While in Nice, Noah and Michael investigate
Margot’s past and learn that she was a secret agent for the French Resistance. She and
other members of the Resistance risked their own lives and safety to help fight back
against the Nazis and protect innocent French people.

Lucien Demetz
Lucien Demetz, a.k.a. René Jacques, symbolizes the positive effects of moral, selfless
actions. Lucien Demetz was a Jewish child living in France during World War Two. He
was one of the children whom Margot and other Resistance members helped to save by
forging documents for him and assigning him a fake name. When Noah and Michael
visit Nice, Lucien is still alive. He is an elderly man, and Noah and Michael even meet
him.

Heirlooms
Noah’s family heirlooms—such as his mother’s photos, his grandfather’s photos, and
his grandfather’s fedora—symbolize the everlasting significance of familial history.
These objects not only serve as reminders of Noah’s deceased family members, but

28
they compel Noah to investigate and consider the lives and actions of those family
members. Such considerations then lead to considerations of history and of life in
general.

29
Settings
Nice, France
Most of the novel takes place in the French city of Nice. Nice is a costal city located in
France’s southeastern region. It is extremely old and very populous. Noah was born in
Nice. When he was four years old, he fled with his father and sister to America to
escape the Nazis. Noah’s mother, Margot, stayed behind to take care of her elderly
father and to work as a secret agent and forger for the French Resistance. Margot left
Nice in 1944 to join her family in America. In 2018, Noah and Michael visit Nice. While
they are there, they investigate Margot’s life and learn about her involvement with the
Resistance.

Hotel Excelsior
While in Nice, Noah and Michael stay at the Hotel Excelsior, specifically because Noah
found an old photo of the hotel in his mother’s belongings. They soon discover that the
hotel was used as a Nazi base during World War II. Noah begins to worry that his
mother may have been an informant for the Nazis. However, he soon discovers that she
was a member of the French Resistance. At one point, she was forcibly brought to the
hotel and tortured by Nazis. She may possibly have broke down under torture and given
information, but the Nazis were driven out of France very soon thereafter.

New York City

The novel opens in New York City in 2018. Noah lives in an apartment in Manhattan,
while Michael grew up in a fairly dangerous, low-income neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Noah and Michael meet for the first time only a few days before Noah is scheduled to
go to Nice. Noah takes Michael along with him. During their trip, Michael tells Noah
about his neighborhood in Brooklyn. Noah begins to see some parallels between
Michael’s neighborhood and a city under wartime siege.

Prison
Amber is a prisoner in a minimum-security prison in New York City. She is in the middle
of a five-year sentence for nonviolent drug possession. It eventually becomes clear to
Noah that the charges against Amber were false and that the police pinned them on her
rather than arrest Victor, who was the owner of the drug stash that was found. Noah first
meets Amber towards the beginning of the novel, and she agrees to the idea of Noah
being Michael’s temporary guardian.

30
Airports
Noah and Michael travel from New York to France via airplane. Prior to that point,
Michael has never been on an airplane or in an airport before. They first fly from
LaGuardia Airport in New York City to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. They then take
one more plane from Paris to Nice. In the airports and on the airplane, Noah and
Michael experience some interpersonal friction that underlies much of their rapport over
the course of the novel. However, Noah also begins making efforts to educate Michael
and engage him.

31
Themes and Motifs
Family
Despite Noah and Michael’s estrangement and personal differences, their familial
connection forms the basis of a deeply meaningful rapport, thereby demonstrating the
inherent value of such family ties. At the beginning of the novel, Noah and Michael have
never met before. Noah is almost 70 years older than Michael, and they have very
different interests and temperaments. However, circumstances bring them together, and
over the course of their trip to Nice, they begin to form a more meaningful bond. Even
only a few days after they first meet, Noah thinks to himself, “Maybe Michael could
come into Manhattan for the odd Saturday outing” (156) in the future. This sense of
connection grows so strong that, by the end of their trip, Noah is willing to be Michael’s
guardian for the entire remainder of Amber’s prison sentence, which has about two
years remaining. Michael reciprocates this sense of bondedness, and thus their familial
connection has evolved into something immediate and meaningful.

This sense of interpersonal connection also manifests in relation to deceased relatives,

for the novel demonstrates how family history can be a salient way of connecting to
other people’s stories and experiences. During their trip to Nice, Noah frequently talks to
Michael about some of their shared relatives, namely Margot and Pierre (Noah’s mother
and grandfather, respectively.) Despite the fact that Michael has never met either of
those people—and in fact, they died before he was born—he eventually develops an
interest in their lives. Noah and Michael investigate certain events of Margot’s life, and
they occasionally examine and discuss Pierre’s photography. Michael initially shows
disinterest in these subjects, but he becomes engrossed in the history of Nice, the
mystery of Margot’s time there, and the artistry of Pierre’s work. At one point, Michael
even says “That’s genius” (224) regarding a specific technique that Pierre used when
taking photographs. Thus, these genealogical connections open up whole new areas of
life and exploration for Michael.

The novel further pays tribute to the meaning of familial connections by illustrating the
enduring nature of such bonds, which sustain themselves (and the family members in
question) through many sources of tribulation. For example, even after Amber is
imprisoned for a crime she likely did not commit, Michael does not lose faith in the value
of his mother-son connection with Amber. He waits with determination for the day she
will be released, and his love and loyalty towards her never waver. He even has a tattoo
of the letters F.O.E., which stands for “Family. Over. Everything” (237). Amber has a
matching tattoo of the letter M, for Michael. The novel also appears to assert that not
even death can truly destroy these bonds; Noah’s internal conversations with his
deceased wife, Joan, are simply products of his own imagination, but they are also
products of the decades-long bond of love that he and Joan had.

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History
The novel’s frequent focus on history serves to remind the reader that the value of
historical events and records cannot be fully realized without personal attention and
consideration. During their trip to Nice, Noah and Michael frequently engage with
historical records and other reminders of the continued persistence of historical
dynamics. For example, they find a plaque stating, “Between September 1943 and
August 1944…the Nazis had requisitioned the Hotel Excelsior…and had held more than
three thousand Jews here before sending them off to Drancy, the transit point for
Auschwitz” (161). This fact pertains to the hotel in which Noah and Michael are staying,
and they later learn that Margot may have been temporarily held captive and tortured in
the hotel. These facts are quite disturbing, but the characters and the narrative realize
the importance of learning such facts. Moreover, Noah and Michael’s direct proximity to
the physical site of these horrors helps to further emphasize the urgency of learning
from history.

The novel extends this thematic dynamic by illustrating how history often has direct
applications to the present day, as the lessons of history can help people better shape
the future. This idea is first introduced when Michael mentions the modern-day right-
wing political movement known as the ‘alt-right.’ Noah responds, “Don’t call them that.
They’re not an alternative, they’re the same old racists” (114). Noah’s statement draws a
connection between the alt-right and Hitler’s Nazi Party, as their ideas and agenda are
equally abhorrent and horrific. This thematic idea is later reemphasized when Noah and
Michael see a poster for right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen. As Noah and
Michael engage more directly with the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust, the
novel uses historical facts to highlight the urgency with which present-day people must
remain vigilant against people and ideas that could allow such atrocities to occur again.

The narrative adds further depth and nuance to these ideas by highlighting the
connections between personal history and sociopolitical history, thereby examining how
one’s personal actions can directly affect sociopolitical dynamics. For example, as Noah
and Michael learn about the history of World War Two, they also learn about Margot’s
personal actions and experiences. They learn that she worked for the French
Resistance and that some children she saved—such as Lucien Demetz—are even still
alive. As Michael says, “So my great-great-grandma was some heroine” (261). Margot’s
life shows how courageous moral action can directly benefit society and resist evil.
Similarly, when Noah notes dysfunctional elements in modern society—such as in the
U.S. justice system—the novel encourages the reader to act in service of a better
society in the present day.

Injustice
As the central narrative of the novel progresses, the characters and the narration often
turn their focus to dynamics of injustice, thereby highlighting the historically persistent
nature of injustice and the need to fight it. For example, towards the beginning of the

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novel, Noah learns about the circumstances of Amber’s imprisonment, and it quickly
becomes clear that she is in prison for a crime she did not commit. She was charged
with drug possession for drugs that were not hers. When Noah says that the truth
should have been revealed at trial, Rosa Figueroa states, “Nobody gets a trial these
days” (20). Rosa is specifically referring to the fact that, due to the extremely limited
time and resources given to public defense attorneys, many arrestees often have no
choice but to plead guilty and accept a plea deal, even if they are innocent. This fact is
just one example of dysfunction in the U.S. justice system as illustrated by the novel.
Another major example is the use of Criminal Informants (CIs), who are forced against
their will to aid police. CIs risk their lives and safety to aid in the enforcement of laws
that, as the novel shows, are often immoral in the first place. In these ways, the novel
demonstrates that injustice is present and persistent in the United States; injustice is not
simply limited to past historical eras.

The presence of injustice both in history and the present day further emphasizes the
necessity of studying history in order to better the present. Throughout the novel, Noah
makes repeated connections between Nazi-occupied France and present-day America.
For example, when Michael talks about the sometimes dangerous criminal dynamics of
his neighborhood in Brooklyn, the narration relates Noah’s following thoughts: “Noah
had never thought of rough neighborhoods quite that way before: like living under siege”
(166). Noah draws connections of violence, food rations (like food stamps), and even
the fact that police in the U.S. sometimes act like a fascist enforcement squad. The
narrative thereby creates a sense of urgency to addressing such persistent issues.

While the novel does not necessarily offer specific solutions for fighting these persistent
elements of injustice, it does highlight the necessity for personal courage in doing so.
For example, when discussing Margot’s work with the Resistance, Noah notes that she
had to use an alias to protect herself: She had to, because her work was so dangerous”
(261). Similarly, it may be risky to try to stand up to injustices in present-day America, as
powerful institutions may use unjust methods of trying to suppress dissent. Thus, the
novel highlights the fact that personal risk may often be involved in standing up to
injustice, whether it is in France during World War Two or in present-day America.
Nonetheless, the narrative utilizes personal empathy and morality to emphasize the
urgent necessity of confronting such injustices.

Personal Connection
Throughout the story, interpersonal connection is framed as a fundamental aspect of life
and personal fulfillment. One of the most prominent examples of this idea is between
Noah and Michael, for despite all of their differences, their relationship to each other
becomes a foundational source of fulfillment for them. In fact, these differences actually
allow their connection to be mutually fulfilling, as they are able to educate one another.
They have various generational differences, such as how they consume media. Noah is
shocked to see that Michael has lost the habit of reading books: “You must read books
sometimes” (95). Noah helps Michael gain a deeper appreciation for art, literature,
science, and history, and Michael helps Noah become acquainted with areas such as

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the usefulness of the internet as a resource. Thus, they are able to educate and help
each other, and they also form a meaningful emotional connection.

The narrative then elaborates on this theme by exploring how interpersonal connections
can develop indirectly—through other personal connections—and yet still supply a
person with meaningful feelings of connection. Examples of this dynamic include
Michael’s indirect connections to Margot and Pierre. Despite the fact that they died
years before Michael was even born, he takes an interest in their lives and work when
Noah helps Michael learn about them. Similarly, Noah feels a sense of connection to
Victor and Amber through Michael, for although Victor is deceased and Amber is in
prison, Noah’s personal but indirect investment in their lives helps Noah to learn more
about urgent issues of injustice and hardship. These connections, both direct and
indirect, allow the characters to feel more grounded and aware regarding the world
around them both past and present.

The novel also illustrates the emotional benefits of such personal connections, as the
narrative presents interpersonal connections as inherently fulfilling simply by nature of
their existence. For example, even though Michael is often rude and impulsive, Noah
remains patient and emotionally invested towards Michael, as Noah has a natural
human impulse to try to form some type of connection or understanding with him. Then,
when they have indeed formed an emotional bond by the end of the novel, Noah finds
himself deeply grateful for it: “Merci, merci, mille mercis” (335). Previously, Michael had
a fairly isolated existence, for his wife and all of his immediate family members were
deceased. Noah and Michael have both become personally isolated, but they then
fortunately find solace in their newfound connection with each other.

Personal Coping and Fulfillment

In contrast to the novel’s many heavy thematic elements, the narrative often illustrates
that it is always possible for people not only to cope with hardship, but also find
fulfillment and meaning in spite of it. Two areas that the novel briefly explores are
science and religion. Noah dedicated his professional life to the study and research of
chemistry, and that professional pursuit appears to have given him a deep sense of
purpose. When Michael asks Noah why he is not religious, Noah responds, “Once you
place your trust in science, you generally find you don’t need the other stuff so much”
(61). Noah and the novel do not necessarily disparage religion, as Noah still
understands and respects his ancestors’ use of religion for personal solace. Moreover,
the novel does not dismiss the idea that science and religion can possibly coexist within
a single individual. However, the most salient element of these ideas is that, despite the
many mysteries and tribulations of life/existence, there are still ways of finding meaning,
solace, and fulfillment.

Additionally, the novel also acknowledges how personal hardship can, in itself, present
opportunities for personal fulfillment. This idea is actually first introduced by Michael and
an anecdote that he tells from his life. Michael recounts to Noah an experience in which
some older kids stole Michael’s skateboard from him. On the advice of Michael’s

35
maternal grandmother, Michael simply decided to use that opportunity to practice
personal equanimity. Michael recalls his grandmother saying, “This is a test from the
Lord, are you going to hold on to your wrath. Are you going to pass the test” (67). Based
on that advice, Michael chose simply to calm himself and overcome the pain of the
stolen skateboard. This anecdote demonstrates how people can find meaning even in
pain and loss, thereby using the moment as an opportunity to grow, mature, and
practice self-possession.

The novel’s ending both narratively and thematically sums up these dynamics of coping
by demonstrating how, in spite of past hardships, it is possible to create a better future
both for oneself and for the world. These dynamics are specifically embodied by Noah’s
desire/willingness to remain Michael’s guardian: “We’d visit your mother every week or
two. Your Uncle Cody, as well. I could, ah, take you to choir on Sundays” (328). Despite
all of the hardships that Noah and Michael have faced separately, their newfound
permanent connection with each other bodes well for their respective futures. In parallel,
despite the many atrocities that have define both history and the present day, the
novel’s overall tone shows how optimism can help sustain personal fulfillment and
motivate people towards creating a better world.

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Styles
Point of View
The novel is written in the past tense and the limited third-person. Noah is the
protagonist and the only point-of-view character, meaning Noah’s interiority is directly
conveyed to the reader, while the internal lives of the other characters must be deduced
via their words and actions. Because Noah is the protagonist and point-of-view
character, his life and temperament are key to how the main narrative is framed. He is
an elderly, recently retired man who values art, science, and history. He is generally
patient and capable. Notably, at the beginning of the novel, he has almost no personal
investment or attachment towards Michael, but as the story progresses, the two
characters develop a deep familial bond towards each other. Noah’s perspective is
thereby the main window into the emotional development of this bond.

Despite the fact that Noah is the only direct point-of-view character, much of the novel’s
narrative and thematic substance is derived from the juxtaposition between differing
character perspectives. The most significant juxtaposition is between Noah and
Michael, as they build a bond in spite of their differing perspectives and experiences.
Due to Michael’s youth and particular life experiences, he at first has no interest in the
trip that Noah has planned. Similarly, Noah has very little interest in Michael’s fixation
with the internet and social media. However, the characters manage to educate each
other and better appreciate each other’s points of view.

Language and Meaning

The novel’s prose is direct and straightforward, with an emphasis on dynamics of
emotion and morality. Because the novel is filtered through Noah’s perspective, his
values and temperament frame the tonal presentation of the novel. For example, as
Noah learns both about French history and present-day America, his sense of empathy
leads him to consider the wider moral and sociological implications. This disposition is
established somewhat towards the beginning of the trip, such as when Michael
mentions the American ‘alt-right,’ and Noah responds, “Don’t call them that. They’re not
an alternative, they’re the same old racists” (114). Noah’s focus on moral and
sociopolitical issues is reaffirmed by the narrative and narration, and thus those ideas
are central to the novel’s overall themes.

Dialogue is also central to the presentation of the novel’s story and characters. An
important example of this dynamic is in presenting the contrasts between Noah and
Michael. Noah is knowledgeable, experienced, self-possessed, and articulate, and his
dialogue reflects those traits. In contrast, Michael is youthful, impulsive and often rude.
Noah notes, “Clearly eleven-year-olds had no concept of which questions were rude; it
was refreshing” (55), and Michael often openly demonstrates his boredom with things
that Noah finds interesting: “Can we go?” (87). However, while the friction between

37
Noah and Michael never fully dissolves, it does give way to a sense of genuine love and
understanding between them.

Structure
The novel is divided into nine chapters. The novel’s main narrative follows a linear
structure, beginning shortly before Noah and Michael’s first meeting, and ending at the
end of their trip to Nice. This storyline takes place in February of 2018. Overall, this
storyline covers about a week’s time. However, the novel has a somewhat nonlinear
structure in that a significant amount of dramatic information is from the 1940s.
Specifically, after arriving in Nice, Noah and Michael spend a significant amount of time
investigating the past of Noah’s deceased mother, Margot. Along the way, they learn
many salient facts about Nazi-occupied France and its different factions, such as the
Nazis and the French Resistance.

The novel uses this essentially bipartite structure as a means of drawing thematically
salient connections between the past and present. The novel not only highlights the
Nazis’ destructive, immoral actions and the heroism of the Resistance, but it also
highlights the applicability of historical dynamics to the present day. For example, Noah
notes the recent rise of right-wing political groups with ideas similar to those of Hitler’s
Nazi Party. Noah also compares the suffering and injustice of Nazi-occupied France to
similar dynamics in modern-day America. Specifically, Noah highlights the unjust
treatment of nonviolent offenders (mostly drug-related crimes), immoral police practices
such as forcing people to be informants, and a focus on nonviolent crimes more than on
violent ones.

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Quotes
Noah was going to Nice for his eightieth…he didn't know anyone in that part of the
world, not since his grandfather had died in 1944. That had freed his mother (Margot) to
join his father (Marc) and little Noah in the States.
-- Narration (chapter 1)

Importance: This line of dialogue helps to establish some of the most fundamental
timeline elements and character relationships of the novel. When Noah was four years
old, he relocated to the United States with his father and sister. Noah's mother, Margot,
remained in France to take care of her ailing father. Margot's time in Nice in the 1940s
remains a central point of narrative focus and intrigue throughout the novel.

Nobody gets a trial these days.

-- Rosa Figueroa (chapter 1)

Importance: Rosa makes this statement while explaining Amber's legal situation to
Noah. As Rosa explains, many nonviolent drug offenders are forced to accept a guilty
plea rather than go to trial, as public defense lawyers always have insufficient time and
resources. These observations begin the novel's pattern of highlighting injustice and
dysfunction within the American justice system.

Clearly eleven-year-olds had no concept of which questions were rude; it was

refreshing.
-- Narration (chapter 2)

Importance: Despite the fact that Michael is often rude and dismissive towards Noah,
Noah is generally able to remain composed and self-possessed, such as demonstrated
in this moment. Noah's patience is fundamental to the development of his bond with
Michael, and thus the novel emphasizes the necessity of composure and interpersonal
understanding.

You must read books sometimes.

-- Noah (chapter 3)

Importance: One of the significant differences between Noah and Michael is the fact
that their media consumption is quite different. Noah prefers to read, view art, and
interact with the world directly, while Michael prefers to surf the internet. Overall, the
novel presents positive aspects of all forms of media, as Michael becomes more
acquainted with reading and writing, and Noah becomes more acquainted with the
internet.

Don’t call them that. They’re not an alternative, they’re the same old racists.
-- Noah (chapter 3)

Importance: Noah makes this statement after Michael refers to the modern 'alt-right'

39
political movement. Noah's statement emphasizes the fact that modern right-wing
movements are essentially just continuations of old right-wing movements, such as
Hitler's Nazi Party, and thus they have the potential to be quite destructive.

Maybe Michael could come into Manhattan for the odd Saturday outing?
-- Noah (chapter 4)

Importance: This line of narration appears about halfway through the novel. Noah and
Michael are only a few days into their trip, and despite their personal differences, Noah
has already begun to feel a sense of loyalty and connection towards Michael. This
connection is apparently related to an acknowledgement of their familial ties.

Had Margot, like so many other Frenchwomen, in fear or loathing or defiance, for fun or
for food, taken up with one of the invaders?
-- Narration (chapter 4)

Importance: During the process of investigating Margot's past, Noah entertains many
disturbing possibilities, such as the possibility that Margot may have had a sexual
relationship with a Nazi. Noah notes that many French women resorted to such actions
in order to protect themselves, and thus the novel highlights yet another horror of
wartime occupation.

Noah had never thought of rough neighborhoods quite that way before: like living under
siege.
-- Narration (chapter 4)

Importance: Michael occasionally tells anecdotes about growing up in a somewhat

dangerous neighborhood in Brooklyn. Noah then draws parallels to Michael's
experiences and the experiences of people who lived in cities under siege. Violent
crimes sometimes occurred in Michael's neighborhood, and Michael sometimes had to
subsist on food stamps, which are somewhat like wartime rations. The novel thereby
highlights persistent sociopolitical problems that must be addressed in the present day.

That’s genius.
-- Michael (chapter 6)

Importance: Michael makes this statement at one point while Noah is showing and
explaining some of Pierre's photographs. Throughout most of the novel up to this point,
Michael's disposition has mostly been one of derision and boredom. However, in this
moment, he begins to show some genuine interest, enthusiasm, and understanding,
thereby affirming the value of curiosity and education.

The CIs weren’t choosing to turn on their neighbor; they were forced into it by the hope
of going home to their families.
-- Narration (chapter 7)

Importance: Noah eventually deduces that Victor was likely forced by police into being

40
an informant. Noah recognizes the inherent moral problems with such practices, as it
forces criminals to put themselves in danger by attempting to gather evidence on other
possible criminals. The novel thereby presents such practices as yet another
dysfunctional element of the American justice system.

Those who survived torture said the worst scars were in the mind.
-- Narration (chapter 8)

Importance: This line of dialogue refers to the fact that Margot might have been
tortured by Nazis, as she was working for the French Resistance. This line may also
refer more generally to the sociological scars of war, which generations carry with them
even long after a war has ended. Thus, Noah and the overall narrative recognize the
importance of studying history in order to learn from the scars and hardships of past
generations.

Merci, merci, mille mercis.

-- Noah (chapter 9)

Importance: This thought of Noah's is the final line of the novel. It is French and
translates to "Thanks, thanks, a thousand thanks." Noah is specifically thankful not only
for the trip and the discoveries that he made, but also for the newfound familial
connection he made with Michael. Familial connection is a central theme of the novel,
and the bond between Noah and Michael demonstrates the inherent fulfillment that
people gain from such connections.

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