How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
After four or five feet of river had ambled by, Billy reached out and touched my cheekbone. "None of my brothers ever managed one that good. Does it hurt?"
"Now that you mention it," I said. I had noticed the heat gathering around my cheekbone. My left eye had difficulty opening. (13.10-11)
Wow, of course it hurts, Billy, and it's probably infected. Talk about silly questions. How do these injuries—and the resulting, if temporary, change in Georgie's appearance—change her character for the rest of the novel?
Quote #5
"Now, I know my Darlene has plenty of followers, but it does beat all when someone comes in here and asks after my daughter accompanied by a young girl so obviously struck in the face."
"I fell," I said quickly. (14.40)
This is an interesting switch on the stereotype of domestic violence victims who say they fell when they were in fact beaten. Georgie is telling the truth, but no one believes her. This is particularly interesting considered along with Mrs. Garrow's presumption that Georgie and Bill are a couple—for the Garrows, violence and love may be closely related.
Quote #6
I did not care for that murderous term (though it fit the act). The war with the South had tainted all sharpshooters as those too yellow-bellied to fight man-to-man. But this wasn't a man-to-man fight; this was man-to-girl, and even with the advantage of the repeating rifle, I'd never shot at something that shot back. (17.33)
This is Georgie's first high-stakes violent encounter. Up until now, she's been shooting at small animals and falling on rocks. This time, she really might die. Still, she doesn't have many options in this situation.