Memory
The first imagery of this book is the details provided by the author's memory from his own life's experience. That aspect makes this literary memoir more concrete and real which allows the reader a more personal and emotional way to approach the confusing and gargantuan issue of ethnic genocide and human evil. By choosing to root his memoir in his own personal childhood memory, he is able to discuss an issue which goes far beyond him but which is part of his identity and heritage.
Childhood and growth
As mentioned, the imagery of the novel begins with childhood recollections. Many of these are conversations with important family members, especially his beloved grandmother, Nafina Aroosian, who survived the Armenian Genocide but who does not like to talk about it (at least not directly). Nafina shares her life's wisdom with the child as he grows, and eventually the childhood imagery gives way to adult resources. Balakian grows into an inquisitive and insightful person as he attempts to understand his family and his role or identity in that family.
The Armenian Genocide
Balakian's project makes him into a historian of his people. His immediate family seems to prefer he not do that, because they have agreed for emotional reasons to forget about it and move on, but by chasing the truth, Balakian is able to encounter the facts of his family's survival in the Armenian Genocide. This means that he studies the historical events (especially from the point of view of a journal written by the US ambassador to Turkey in those years) while synthesizing data collected from his life of hearing stories from his kin.
Narrative imagery
In a less concrete, more abstract sense, this memoir utilizes the imagery of narrative in a fascinating way. Embedded within the obvious imagery of the memoir's literal narrative are smaller fragments of story. This memoirist conceives of truth as a synthesis of narrative, collected from many people. In a way, this turns basic narrative imagery (symbolized most clearly in his grandmother's story-telling) and transforms it into a kind of historical document explaining the horror of hatred and the danger of group think gone awry.
