“The sun had set, and the lamps glowed above the streets with sharp yellow spears, one every twenty feet on both sides along our way. The cobblestone paths lined with homes and gates, illuminated by the soft light, made for a dreamy stroll. As we rounded each new corner we were greeted by another twisting row of lamps with more houses and small storefronts. Some of the doors were painted bright blue or purple, but the houses themselves, crammed tightly together, were all white-washed stone.”
-page 9, The Dark Hills Divide
The quote itself is very descriptive, allowing me to imagine and draw the place that the characters walked through at night. It reminded me of the time when my cousin and I would chase each other across the cobblestones, and the time when my grandmother told me that walking on the stones barefoot is healthy for you... I also imagine the place to be peaceful and quiet since it's at night.
“‘When I was on one of my far off journeys, I heard this fable. I like it so much I memorized it.’ And then he told it to me, and it went like this:
‘It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant,
Though all of them were blind,
That each by observation might satisfy his mind.
The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
‘God bless me! But the Elephant
Is very like a wall!’
The Second, feeling the tusk,
Cried, ‘Ho! What have we here?
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!’
The Third approached the animal,
And happened to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
‘I see,’ said he, ‘the Elephant
Is very like a snake!’
The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
‘What most this wondrous beast is like is mighty plain,’ said he;
‘’Tis clear enough that Elephant is very like a tree.’
The Fifth who chanced to tough the ear,
Said: ‘Even the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!’
The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
‘I see,’ said he, ‘the Elephant
Is very like a rope!’
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right
And all were in the wrong.”
I have heard this fable before; though it’s not quite exact same. I thought this fable was very intriguing as the blind men think they knew what an elephant looked like when they only knew a part of it. This fable relates to life since no one can be elite at everything, although most do specialize in a few talents, jobs, etc.
“‘Well, well, well. Alexa Daley.’ I yelped, lost my balance, and came tumbling out of the sill. It was Pervis Kotcher.
‘What am I to do with you, Alexa?’ he said, a condescending grin smeared across his thin lips. I rubbed my knee with one hand and placed the spyglass in my back pocket with the other. I hoped he hadn’t seen me using it. I rose and looked at him, feeling even smaller than my four and a half foot frame.
…
‘I see you’re back, and as careless as ever.’
He paced around my room until he neared my open bag. ‘It’s been a nice summer so far in Bridewell, hardly a reason to work if you’re a man of the uniform these days–just one lazy day after another. But of course, now that you’re back, I’ll have plenty to keep me busy, now won’t I?’ He hovered over my bag, ready to reach inside and dig through its contents.
‘I think the mustache makes you look shorter,’ I said knowing I was taking a risk in a room alone with him. He jerked his hand back from my bag and pointed it at me.
‘Let’s get one thing clear right now,’ he said. ‘If I see you on the sill again, I’ll have a chat with your father.’ He paused, glared at me, and placed his hand upon the black stick hanging at his side. ‘I’m watching you, Alexa Daley. So much as go near the wall, and you’ll find my club against your knees—do we understand each other?”
I nodded yes.
‘Oh, and one more thing—I’ll take that spyglass in your back pocket,’ said Pervis. ‘I wouldn’t want any crazy ideas getting into your head.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Pervis raised his voice. ‘Give the spyglass now, or I’ll march you downstairs and make you give it to me in front of your father, Ganesh, and Warvold.’
If my father found out I’d been spying outside the wall, let along with a telescope I’d stolen from my mother, it would seriously restrict my freedom for the duration of the trip. I pulled it out of my pocket, had a last good look at it, and tossed it to him.
‘You’re a nobody, Alexa. A worm. And just between you and me, so is your father.’ He started back for my bag, about to put his hand in, a surly grin on his face, when footsteps approached my room. Pervis quickly concealed my spyglass in his jacket and ran his hands through his stringy hair.”
-pg. 28-29, The Dark Hills Divide
I think this quote is very interesting and descriptive in an "invisible" way. Patrick Carman creates this mood of annoyance to make the readers dislike Pervis. The words that Pervis speaks shows the reader that he builds deep hatred against Alexa and her father. When I first read this part, I though of Pervis as a big jerk who has nothing else to do but to pick on Alexa, and make her stay at Bridewell miserable.
“Malcolm held out his foot in an effort to shake my hand.
He said it was human custom to shake, and he wanted to make me feel at home.
I bent down, took his furry gray foot between my thumb and forefinger, and awkwardly bobbed it up and down a few times, Malcolm chuckled nervously and we both looked at Darius who rolled his eyes. I laughed, and for the first time I felt a little less like a guest outside the wall, a little more like these might actually be my friends.”
-pg. 95, The Dark Hills Divide
I feel that this quote sort of releases the stress and suspense that was presented earlier in the story. Malcolm, the rabbit's stupid action actually made Alexa feel more relaxed as if they were her best friends. The picture that I drew above isn't very good (since I have trouble drawing animals and hands), although I do imagine it to be very hilarious scene.
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