The Past Haunting the Present
Keep It in the Family explores how the past relentlessly shapes the present, arguing that buried secrets and unresolved traumas don't simply fade away. Instead, they fester, waiting for a catalyst to erupt and shatter the present. This theme isn't just about memory; it's about the tangible consequences of history, where characters' lives are built upon horrific foundations, guaranteeing eventual ruin. The novel suggests that a present built on lies is inherently fragile, and true peace requires a painful reckoning with what came before.
How It Develops
The theme of the past haunting the present evolves from subtle unease to catastrophic revelation, physically and emotionally dismantling the characters' lives as more of the past is unearthed. Initially, the past is a dormant entity, represented by the neglected state of the house at 45 High Street, symbolizing a forgotten history. This dormant past becomes active with the discovery of the message, "I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC," a literal voice from the past breaking into the present. This culminates with the discovery of the suitcases, transforming the metaphorical haunting into a horrifying, tangible reality.
As the narrative progresses, the past actively dismantles the present. The police investigation physically deconstructs the house, mirroring how the revelations deconstruct the characters' lives and plans. The focus shifts from the house's history to the characters' personal histories, such as Dave Hunter's connection to the victims, revealing how his own past is inextricably linked to the house's secrets. Even seemingly unrelated secrets, like Finn Hunter's affair with Emma, demonstrate how personal, buried histories can destroy present relationships.
Ultimately, the past is fully revealed, proving to be the inescapable foundation of the present. The truth about Debbie Hunter's role as the killer, Dave's complicity, and Finn's true identity shows that their entire family structure is a lie. The haunting is no longer about a place but about identity and lineage. The theme culminates in the revelation that the cycle of violence and secrets continues into the future through Finn, proving that the past doesn't just haunt the present—it actively shapes and corrupts the future.
Key Examples
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The Derelict House: The initial state of the house is the first sign of a neglected past. Its overgrown garden and dilapidated structure represent years of buried secrets. When Mia and Finn decide to renovate it, their actions are a metaphor for digging up a history that was meant to stay hidden, as detailed in their first visit in the Chapter 1-5 Summary.
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The Skirting Board Message: The discovery of the words "I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC" carved into the nursery's skirting board is a pivotal moment, detailed in the Chapter 6-10 Summary. It is a literal cry for help from the past, a child's desperate message that directly contradicts the hopeful future Mia and Finn envision for their own child in that same room.
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The Suitcase Discovery: The unearthing of the seven suitcases containing mummified children in the Chapter 11-15 Summary is the ultimate physical manifestation of the past crashing into the present. The horror is not a ghostly apparition but the tangible, preserved evidence of decades-old crimes that immediately destroys Mia and Finn's financial and emotional stability.
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Dave's Connection to the Victims: Mia's discovery at Abigail Douglas's wake that Dave was a classmate of two victims directly connects a main character's personal history to the house's criminal past, as detailed in the Chapter 26-30 Summary. His refusal to acknowledge this connection shows a desperate attempt to keep his past buried, but its emergence proves futile.
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Finn's Secret Affair: The newspaper exposé in the Chapter 36-40 Summary reveals Finn's long-term affair and secret child. This subplot serves as a microcosm of the larger theme, showing that even personal secrets from the recent past have the power to inflict devastating damage on present relationships, mirroring the destruction caused by the house's older secrets.
Character Connections
Debbie Hunter embodies the past's inescapable influence. Her own traumatic childhood at the hands of her murderous parents directly shapes her into a killer. She is not just haunted by her past; she actively perpetuates its cycle of violence, making her the primary source of the horror that unfolds.
Dave Hunter is a character entirely defined and ultimately destroyed by his past. His life is a constant effort to suppress the trauma of his upbringing and the secret of his involvement with Debbie's first kill. When the past is unearthed, he cannot escape it and chooses suicide, proving the past's ultimate power over him.
Finn Hunter is haunted by multiple pasts. His affair with Emma destroys his marriage, while the revelation of his true identity—as a stolen baby—shatters his sense of self. Ultimately, he becomes the clearest example of the theme's cyclical nature, having been indoctrinated into his mother's world and continuing the legacy of violence and secrets, as revealed in the Epilogue.
Mia Hunter acts as the unwilling catalyst who unearths the past. Her desire for a perfect future in a new home forces a confrontation with a history she never knew existed. The past physically harms her (the fall from the ladder) and psychologically torments her (PTSD), demonstrating how an unknown history can victimize those in the present.
Symbolism
The house at 45 High Street is the central symbol of the theme. It is a physical tomb for the past, containing the literal bodies and secrets of the Lewis and Hunter families. The act of renovating it is a metaphor for the dangerous process of digging up buried history.
The attic is a classic literary symbol for the mind's darkest, most repressed secrets. In this novel, the attic serves this function literally, holding the preserved bodies of the victims. It is the hidden space where the family's most horrific truths are stored.
The portmanteau suitcases are a powerful symbol of how the past is compartmentalized and carried forward. Each one contains a horrific secret, neatly packed away but undeniably present. The brand name, Portmanteau, which means a case for carrying clothing, is a clever nod to how these containers carry the weight of past lives.
Contemporary Relevance
The theme of the past haunting the present resonates deeply in an era fascinated with uncovering history and secrets. The explosion of at-home DNA testing has led to countless real-life stories of individuals discovering shocking truths about their parentage and family history, mirroring Finn's identity crisis. The immense popularity of the true-crime genre—podcasts, documentaries, and forums dedicated to solving cold cases—reflects a modern cultural obsession with digging up the past to find answers and justice, much like the police investigation in the book. This theme also connects to the growing psychological understanding of generational trauma, where the unaddressed pain and secrets of ancestors can have a tangible impact on the mental and emotional well-being of current generations.
Essential Quote
"I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC"
This chilling message, carved into the skirting board, encapsulates the novel's central theme. It is a desperate plea from a child trapped in a horrific past, a past that refuses to stay buried and instead violently intrudes upon the present, shattering the illusion of safety and innocence. The message serves as a constant reminder that the house, and by extension the family, is built upon a foundation of unspeakable trauma.