Contents
VI. Determinism — Dalton
Overview
Dalton’s formative memory—once accessed by Parisa—unravels as a self-protective fabrication. The scene reveals his mother grieving a son’s death while Dalton seeks validation for reviving a sapling. This juxtaposition exposes Dalton’s buried guilt and denial, reframing his motivations and emotional core.
Summary
The chapter revisits a childhood memory Parisa once saw in Dalton Ellery’s mind: a young Dalton presents a revived seedling to his mother and receives praise. That memory, strong enough to fortify his mental defenses, has long served as Dalton’s foundational story of capability and care.
The narrative then peels back the lie. In reality, Dalton tries to force his grieving mother to look at the sapling, frustrated that she is crying and inattentive. Her repeated endearments blur against the day’s true event: Dalton’s brother has died. The timing links Dalton’s small act of restoration to a greater, irrevocable loss.
Dalton’s mind reframes the coincidence, wavering between rationalization and avoidance. Whether he forgot from pain or deliberately buried the truth, the result is the same: a consoling fiction that he “saved” something on the day a life ended. This revelation exposes the guilt and denial underpinning Dalton’s identity and later choices.
Who Appears
- Dalton ElleryRevealed to have constructed a false childhood memory to mask guilt over his brother’s death.
- Parisa KamaliPreviously viewed Dalton’s memory, which now is shown to be a protective fabrication.
- Dalton’s motherGrieves a son’s death while ignoring Dalton’s plea for approval.
- Dalton’s brotherDeceased; his death coincides with Dalton’s sapling incident, triggering Dalton’s repression.