How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
It was the bones in my head I thought about, the hard, porous edge of my skull cradling my brain, reassuring me that no matter what happened I could heal up from it eventually. It was the heat in my heart, my hard, gritty center. I linked my fingers behind my head, clenched my teeth, and rocked back and forth. The sturdy stock we were boasted to be came down in me to stubbornness and bone. (8.37)
Is that a clue into the symbolism behind Bone's name? We think it is. Bone—you know, actual, legit bone—becomes something of an extended metaphor for Bone. So aside from being tough, what else is true about bones? Well, you might think about the fact that bones can break, but when they do, they usually recover—even if it might take a long time, and even if there might be some damage that makes the bone never quite the same afterwards.
Quote #5
I spooned loose dirt into the little pot, sprinkled water on the dusty leaves. The cutting drooped already, getting ready to lose half its growth. But the stem was moist and flexible under my fingers. Strong. It would come back strong. (9.115)
No, Bone is not just referring to her gardening skills. She's thinking about her ability to be resilient—to bounce back. In three sentences, the plant has become a metaphor for Bone. Pretty impressive.
Quote #6
The hunger, the lust, and the yearning were palpable. I understood that hunger as I understood nothing else, though I could not tell if what I truly hungered for was God or love or absolution. Salvation was complicated. (10.64)
When Bone was at James Waddell's house and he called her family trash, she referred to feeling she experienced as a hunger. She also says that whenever she passes Woolworth's, she feels a raging hunger. Well, while her feelings toward religion are probably different from feelings of resentment, it's interesting that she chooses to use the same word. Bone knows that she wants something, that she seems to be missing something—but she doesn't know what it is.