How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Page)
Quote #4
She poured hot milk from a silver kettle that she had always kept on the shelf for display. Stuck to the bottom of the kettle was a small note, Je t'aime de tout mon coeur. The note read, "I love you very much." It was signed by Monsieur Augustin. (4.27)
Atie keeps this souvenir from her former lover, but the irony is that she cannot read the love note he sent her with it. Only the prying eyes of young Sophie can see what is there. It is Sophie's introduction to the complicated world of sexual love, which so often leads to disappointment in this work.
Quote #5
"Sophie," she whispered. Her eyes were still closed. "Sophie, I will never let you go again." (6.49)
Immediately after Sophie arrives in the U.S. and settles in with her mom, she realizes that Martine is assailed every night by nightmares. After Sophie comforts her, Martine makes this motherly declaration. But it isn't clear that her tenacity will be a good thing. Upon reflection, we see that Sophie has to do some serious breaking away from her mother in order to heal and move forward.
Quote #6
I was eighteen and I fell in love. His name was Joseph and he was old. He was old like God is old to me, ever present and full of wisdom. He looked somewhat like Monsieur Augustin. He was the color of ground coffee, with a cropped beard and a voice like molasses that turned to music when he held a saxophone to his lips. (9.67)
Sophie's first love—her only love—is literally the guy next door. Her unusual description of him makes him seem more mythic than real, like something out of one of the Haitian folktales that she so fondly remembers. It also seems that Sophie is taking on her auntie's taste in men, almost as she is able to take on her mother's traumatic past. However, we can tell from her tone in this passage that there is definitely some positive chemistry going on between herself and Joseph, so there is hope that this love will endure.