(T) Through the characterisation of Kirsten, Mandel illustrates how memory—both what is remembered and what is forgotten—can provide comfort and act as a form of emotional protection in a post-collapse world.  (E) Kirsten uses memories to maintain a connection to the world before the pandemic, seeking out books and magazines to remind her of people and experiences she once knew.   (E) For example, described by Charlie as an 'archeologist' (p41) 'Kirsten went through every magazine she could find in search of [Arthur]' (p40). Kirsten's memory of Arthur was 'a fleeting impression of kindness', a man 'who’d once pressed two comic books into her hands' (p41). Similarly, 'the clearest memory she retained from before the collapse' was another act of kindness; 'a man in a suit talking to her while Arthur lay still on his back' (p41).  (A)These memories of compassion provide assurance of humanity and shape Kirsten's belief and desire for connection in a post collapse world.  (E) Additionally, Kirsten's selective memory, illustrated through her inability to remember the first year after the collapse, shields her from the worst of the trauma, suggesting that forgetting can be a form of emotional survival.  (E) She reflects, 'I can't remember the year we spent on the road, and I think that means I can't remember the worst of it...doesn't it seem to you that the people who have the hardest time…are the people who remember the old world clearly?' (Chapter 37).  This idea is reinforced when Charlie notes that Kirsten, 'couldn’t stand to gut fish—something she’d seen on the road...a fleeting impression of some vision that...made her ill when she tried to consider it' (A) This selective memory functions as a psychological coping mechanism, protecting Kirsten from the full weight of the world’s violent collapse and suggests that thriving, not just surviving, often relies on psychologically distancing oneself from negative events.(L) By showing Kirsten selectively engaging with memory—preserving some experiences while suppressing others—Mandel asserts that memory is both a source of resilience and a protective shield against trauma.