“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality.” (p 39) Do you agree with this quote? Have you ever kept a diary? If not, did reading The Frozen River influence you to start?
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I remember reading this quote and see now that I wrote “I don’t agree!” in the margin. I realize she is talking about her need to record circumstances as she says “for safekeeping.” She purposefully is trying to keep her emotions out of it. While, yes, what remains to be seen is the ink on paper, there can be no denying the human hand that held the pen. We know Martha was driven by emotion, by a calling to justice by her straight arrow righteousness that told her “when appropriate” was appropriate. I think everything she did was charged with emotion. Her being able to tone things down with her entries was probably a blessing for her, something she needed at the end of the day, seeing her truth so simply stated in black and white.
I kept a journal as a young girl during the crazy times of the 60’s, especially. So much was out of control then, civil rights unrest, my brother being drafted to VietNam, the creepy guy who sat behind me in history class. I think about it once every decade or so and dig it out like buried treasure or a time capsule.
I don’t agree with the quote, either. Connie K said it well - “there can be no denying the human hand that held the pen.” Some of you might remember the TV character Joe Friday. His catchline was, “just the facts ma’am/sir, just the facts.” It’s difficult to record just the facts without using any biased language. By it’s nature and intention, a diary expresses memorable thoughts and emotions.
I agree with Connie_K; no one can write about or record events while suppressing their own emotions. And that’s OK (unless you’re a journalist reporting on an event). But even so, I want to see the human side such as Walter Cronkite wiping away tears after reporting the death of JFK or Al Michaels’ yelling, “do you believe in miracles?”. Think of Anne Frank’s diary writing down her thoughts during her time in hiding–she recorded her history, one we really need to study these days. And truly, I don’t want to read books devoid of feelings & emotions–what’s the point of that?
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I also agree with Connie because especially in a diary or a essay where emotion arises one cannot suppress memories because they will be implied within the style and structure of the written word. But sometimes those emotions are really important while reading a book.
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I kept a diary as a teenager (someone gave me one of those with the little lock & key which could be easily picked with a paperclip). I don’t necessarily think I was honest back then. I think I was concerned my mom would find it, so I think I actually lied to my diary, LOL. I do keep a journal now, but I don’t save my notebooks after they’re filled. I don’t have kids and I can’t imagine anyone would care about the inner lives of my cats once I’m gone.
I agree that “memory warps and twists” but like others have written don’t agree with Martha that the written word is truthful and without emotion. I do believe that if the author is truthful and unbiased in their intention, the written word is more reliable than memory.
From my own experience, I think it is so true that “memory warps and twists.” We don’t always have an accurate memory of what transpired but if we wrote about it at the time, it would, at least, be a more factual confirmation of what really happened even if emotions were involved.
I agree somewhat , we have the written word but it is from the prospective of the author. I kept a diary as a young woman, its long gone.
i do agree that memory warps and twists, but writing about an experience will aid in recalling the setting and circumstances involved, which also may bring back the specific incident. I have always kept journals when traveling to a foreign country and later delight in reflecting upon not only the recalled incident, but the feelings I had at the time.
I have never kept a diary. It made me think about writing daily things down, but I haven’t yet. 
I agree with others who said it is hard to keep emotion out of the written word. I often wondered if that is why she always started the entry with the weather. It is very factual and really no emotion to it. I did think her entries were brief, pretty factual, and not too biased by emotions.
I do agree with this quote. I have made several attempts to keep a diary throughout my life, but am not organized enough to maintain it.
I agree that memory does warp and twist events. I recently read that every time one remembers an event, that memory is altered by the process of remembering. I agree that paper and ink receive the truth under certain circumstances, such as a reporter writing a factual article or a legal brief. However, I do not see how anyone keeps a journal or diary without injecting their emotions into the writing.
Journaling can be an important tool for some folks. I have personally thought about it, might do it a few days, then I lose interest. I did like how Martha documented so much in her life.