The Tale of Despereaux Guilt and Blame Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"Har," laughed Uncle. "Har. An ugly, dumb thing like you? You ain't even worth the enormous lot I paid for you. Don't I wish every night that I had back that good hen and that red tablecloth in place of you?" (27.11)

Instead of admitting that he's an awful person, Uncle puts the blame back on Mig for being ugly and dumb. He makes her feel worthless—even though she's doing most of the work around here. He's one character that doesn't feel guilt at all. He's like the nasty rats in that way.

Quote #5

The dark things in the princess's heart were these: a very small, very hot, burning coal of hatred for the rat who was responsible for her mother's death. And the other darkness was a tremendous sorrow, a deep sadness that her mother was dead and that the princess could, now, only talk to her in her dreams. (38.6)

Princess Pea looked at Roscuro with such hatred because she believes that he's responsible for her mother's death. Is that fair? Roscuro was just trying to see the world outside his dark dungeon, and he was startled. Still, the princess is heartbroken about losing her mother, so she blames the closest thing she sees. Later on, she's able to see things differently. She's conflicted about blaming Roscuro.

Quote #6

It means that when you are being forcibly taken to a dungeon, when you have a large knife pointed at your back, when you are trying to be brave, you are able, still, to think for a moment of the person who is holding that knife.

You are able to think: "Oh, poor Mig, she wants to be a princess so badly and she thinks that this is the way. Poor, poor Mig. What must it be like to want something that desperately?" (38.8-9)

Even though Mig is literally threatening Princess Pea with a knife, the princess doesn't blame the poor servant girl. The author's very clear that you need to think long and hard before you blame someone.