How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
And [Sophie] was a little upset at the thought that she was here on false pretenses. Howl might think Calcifer liked her, but Sophie knew Calcifer had simply seized on the chance to make a bargain with her. Sophie rather thought she had let Calcifer down.
This state of mind did not last. Sophie discovered a pile of Michael's clothes that needed mending. She fetched out thimble, scissors, and thread from her sewing pocket and set to work. By that evening she was cheerful enough to join in Calcifer's silly little song about saucepans. (6.1-2)
Sophie occasionally worries about things like breaking Calcifer's contract or being in Howl's castle without his official permission. But she soon gets rid of those worries by doing something active: by cleaning or cooking or, in this case, mending Michael's clothes. When Sophie feels a sense of purpose, she seems a lot more secure and sure of herself. It's when she has nothing to do that she starts to think too much.
Quote #5
"Can you pick up logs?" Sophie asked, intrigued in spite of her impatience.
For answer, Calcifer stretched out a blue arm-shaped flame divided into green fingerlike flames at the end. It was not very long, nor did it look strong. "See? I can almost reach the hearth," he said proudly. (6.18-19)
Calcifer is so adorable, don't you think? The way he shows off his flame arm proudly to Sophie reminds us of a kid showing his mom how high he can jump or how long he can hold his breath under water. Calcifer's moments of pride or insecurity give him a depth of character that he might not otherwise have, since he generally stays in his fireplace and tries not to get involved in Howl's shenanigans.
Quote #6
"By the way," Howl said, "Mrs. Pentstemmon will call you Mrs. Pendragon. Pendragon's the name I go under here."
"Whatever for?" said Sophie.
"For disguise," said Howl. "Pendragon's a lovely name, much better than Jenkins."
"I get by quite well with a plain name," Sophie said as they turned into a blessedly narrow, cool street.
"We can't all be Mad Hatters," said Howl. (12.14-18)
Have you noticed how many names Howl seems to have? He's the Sorcerer Jenkin in Porthaven, the Wizard Pendragon in Kingsbury, and Howl in Market Chipping. His original name seems to be Howell Jenkins, which is what his family calls him in Wales. The multiple names seem consistent with the fact that Howl's personality is quite unstable: he is unpredictable, hard to pin down, and very slippery.