The past is a cupboard full of light and all you have to do is find the key that opens the door

The past is a cupboard full of light and all you have to do is find the key that opens the door

In the world of Kate Atkinson's novels, the past is a rich and complex tapestry that weaves its way through the lives of her characters. In her works, such as "Life After Life" and "A God in Ruins," Atkinson explores the idea that the past is not something to be forgotten or ignored, but rather something to be embraced and understood.

"The past is a cupboard full of light and all you have to do is find the key that opens the door" is a powerful metaphor for the way Atkinson's characters navigate their own personal histories. In her novels, the past is not a burden to be carried, but rather a source of illumination that can help her characters make sense of their present and shape their future.

One of the most striking examples of this theme can be found in "Life After Life," where the protagonist, Ursula Todd, repeatedly dies and is reborn, each time with the chance to make different choices and alter the course of her life. Through Ursula's many lives, Atkinson explores the idea that the past is not fixed, but rather a malleable force that can be reshaped and reinterpreted.