Salt to the Sea

Salt to the Sea

by

Ruta Sepetys

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Salt to the Sea: 45. Emilia Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Emilia sits on the wagon, and while she appreciates it, she also feels guilty that others have to walk.
Although she deserves to ride because she is pregnant, Emilia is uncomfortable with any kind of preferential treatment.
Themes
Memory and Survival  Theme Icon
Emilia has blackberry seeds stuck in her teeth from preserves taken from the manor house. These remind her of her father, and collecting berries for him as a child. Her mind then shifts to the farm her father sent her to in East Prussia, and the storage cellar there. Emilia reaches for her pregnant stomach.
Although Emilia often sets up walls of fantasy to protect her from dwelling on past traumas, sensory memories and associations transport her backwards in time, first to a positive memory, and then to a negative one that she quickly shuts down.
Themes
Storytelling and Fantasy  Theme Icon
Memory and Survival  Theme Icon