quote/page number 

questions/comments 

”The flash of this knowledge— for it was knowledge in the midst of dread— produced in me an extraordinary effect, started, as I stood there, a sudden vibration of duty and courage.” ch 4, pg 20

I feel like it’s true that people come up with their best ideas when under pressure, or in a tight situation. Sometimes, when you have a sudden surge of ideas during a time of hardship, I feel like it can give you courage. Pressure and fear can make people act in ways that they might not have before, and this can involve strength. Kind of like that story where the mom sees her kid trapped under a car, and she gets superhuman strength. R, C

”’On innocent little precious lives. They were in your charge.’” ch 6, pg 26

Children are innocent. They don’t really have control over what’s going on around them, so I feel like it’s an adult’s job to keep them safe. When children are faced with a dangerous situation, nine times out of ten, it’s the adults fault because the kids didn’t know better. R

”I should not for instance have been able to asseverate to my friend that I was certain— which was so much to the good— that I at least had not betrayed myself. I should not have been prompted, by stress of need, by desperation of mind— I scarce know what to call it— to invoke such further aid to intelligence as might spring from pushing my colleague fairly to the wall.” ch 8, pg 34

I’m kind of confused at what happened here. The wording from the time period isn’t the easiest to follow and the sentences are really long. But based off of what I can understand, the character seems to be responding to a difficult situation. They seem to be blaming themselves for what happened. It looks like they realize that they were driven by greed. Q, E

”I had plenty of anguish after that extraordinary moment, but I had, thank God, no terror.” ch 9, pg 40

Okay, so this person had mental problems, but no fear? That doesn’t really make sense to me, like how can you be suffering mentally but not be afraid? I feel like seeing, what I presume, is a ghost, would be more terrifying than something that evokes suffering. I don’t know, this personally doesn’t make sense to me, but you do you. R

”He’s not reading to her, “I declared; “they’re talking of them— they’re talking horrors!” ch 12, pg 47

Based off of what I’ve read, this book is geared toward talking about problems in the Victorian era. Specifically, sex. I watched a summary of the book and the girl who was narrating the video said that sex was not a common topic of the Victorian era. So when I read this quote, I figured “ wow, these “horrors” they’re talking about probably don’t have anything to do with ghosts, rather than things that people at this time were actually scared of, sex and promiscuity.” C, R

”The summer had turned, the summer had gone; the autumn had dropped upon Bly and had blown out half our lights.” ch 13, pg 50

I feel like this quote from the book kind of signifies how time can go by super fast. ‘The summer came and went’ I feel like that means that not a lot happened during the summer, but the summer is such a long time! That is three months worth of things to happen, but that doesn’t really seem to matter in the book..? When I first read this, I thought that blowing out the lights actually meant that the lights went out, but now that I’m going over it again, I think it kind of meant the sun. The sun was the light, so now that autumn comes, there’s not much “light,” or happiness around. P

”He gave me another look charged with that expression and then marched off alone into the church.” ch 14, pg 56

People can be really strong. When people want things, they’ll do whatever they have to do to get it. Even if it involves facing some sort of fear, or being alone. E

”She’s not alone, and at such times she’s not a child: she’s an old, old woman.” ch 19, pg 68

I don’t understand this either. The author is equating this older woman to a child. I guess that kind of means that in her own way, she’s innocent, she doesn’t really know what’s going on around her. I feel like when people get older, they become less aware of what’s happening (I mean that in the nicest way possible). So for some people, they start off life in a childlike state, they become adults and live their lives, and then when they become older, they revert back to that childlike state. E

”Why, that of dealing with me to her uncle. She’ll make me out to him the lowest creature—!” ch 21, pg 74

People are very manipulative. A lot of people will do whatever they can to make another person look horrible, even when they’re not. It’s because the human race is selfish. Even at times, I can be pretty manipulative. I feel like a lot of manipulative situations are just bias. When you’re talking about someone, instead of giving the whole story, you’re only giving the parts that are making the other person look bad. R, C

”We were alone with the quiet day, and his little heart, dispossessed, had stopped.” ch 24, pg 87

This line is kind of sad to me. Like this little kid who was living his life is no longer alive..? But the tone is calm and I like that. It reminds me of the last scene in The Shining where Danny and Dick are talking after they leave the hotel. C