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