How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Mig watched her father walk away, the red tablecloth billowing out behind him. He left his daughter. And, reader, as you already know, he did not look back. Not even once.
Can you imagine it? Can you imagine your father selling you for a tablecloth, a hen, and a handful of cigarettes? (24.15-16)
Even though Mig has never been particularly close to her father, she's still shocked when he sells her without a second thought. It's just not what a father is supposed to do, especially so soon after his wife's death. Poor Mig loses her whole family in one fell swoop. The author interrupts the story to let us know exactly what she thinks of Mig's father. She wants the reader to appreciate how bad this situation really is.
Quote #8
"I am making a history of the world, my world," said the Pea, "in tapestry. See? Here is my father, the king. And he is playing the guitar because that is something he loves to do and does quite well. And here is my mother, the queen, and she is eating soup because she loved soup." (29.29)
Making the tapestry is a way for Pea to cope with losing her mother. In a way, she'll always have her with her when she looks at the tapestry.
Quote #9
She was asleep and dreaming of her mother, the queen, who was holding out a spoon to her and saying, "Taste this, my sweet Pea, taste this, my darling, and tell me what you think."
The princess leaned forward and sipped some soup from the spoon her mother held out to her.
"Oh, Mama," she said, "it's wonderful. It's the best soup I have ever eaten." (37.1-3)
We all have special traditions and foods that we associate with our families. Princess Pea doesn't just dream about soup because she misses that delicious dish; it also makes her feel connected to her mother. In her dreams, her family is still complete and happy instead of torn asunder by tragedy.