How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
For each letter he drew a picture of some creature, a hawk or a pig, and printed its name below the letter. When I had all the letters, he drew a railway. The engine pulled several words, so that now I had a sentence. Page by page I learned the secrets in the book. (4.34)
When Koly learns to read, she pairs pictures with words. Mr. Mehta shows her the small parts that make up the sentence before revealing the whole meaning. The way Koly describes language helps us understand how she pieces things together in her mind, one picture at a time.
Quote #5
In order to read the books, I had to take them with me, hidden in my sari, when I went to wash the clothes in the river. I hurried to finish the washing so I would have a little time with my book. (4.35)
Koly's so invested in reading that she sneaks her book underneath her clothes so she can read while down at the river. Remember that Mrs. Mehta would be furious if she found out about Koly's reading, so Koly risks a good tongue-lashing in reading. That's how important it is to her.
Quote #6
Sass was suspicious of books, treating them as if they were scorpions and might sting her. From then on if she caught me reading, she would call me lazy and set me to a task or send me off to the village on an errand. But no matter what Sass thought, the secrets in the books were now mine, and try as she might, she could not snatch them away. (4.54)
Notice that word "suspicious" in this passage. It's telling that Mrs. Mehta doesn't know how to read nor does she trust it, while for Koly, reading is almost like a treasure hunt. It says a lot about these two characters' relationships to the world they live in.