How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
She seemed very nervous. But then she was often nervous. My mother was always afraid I'd fall off the sea wall, or tumble out of a tree, or cut myself with a pocketknife. Henrik's mother wasn't that way. She laughed a lot. She said, "Boys, boys, boys." (1.34)
Phillip's relationship with his mother is a tense one. Here he describes her as worried and overprotective. Why might Phillip's mother be so anxious?
Quote #2
Until the past year, my father and I had done a lot of things together. Fishing or sailing our small boat, or taking long hikes around Krup Bay or Seroe Male, or just out into the koenoekoe, the countryside, together. He knew a lot about trees and fish and birds. But now he always seemed busy. Even on a Sunday, he'd shake his head and say, "I'm sorry, guy, I have to work." (1.37)
Check out the things Phillip used to do with his dad – outdoor activities like hiking and fishing. Sounds a lot like the things Phillip ends up doing with Timothy, doesn't it? Can you think of any other similarities between Phillip's dad and Timothy?
Quote #3
Suddenly, I felt hollow inside. Then I became angry and accused her of being a coward. She told me to go off to school. I said I hated her. (2.34)
Phillip doesn't understand his mother's desire to leave the island, and the two clash over it. Phillip is pretty harsh here, calling his mother a "coward" and saying that he hates her. Is his attitude justified? Do these two ever resolve their issues?