Quote 64
Sometimes Father would say, "Christopher, if you do not behave I swear I shall knock the living daylights out of you," or Mother would say, "Jesus, Christopher, I am seriously considering putting you into a home," or Mother would say, "You are going to drive me into an early grave." (73.4)
Okay, we admit – love is pretty complicated. If Christopher has heard these things from the two people in the world who love him most, it has to be difficult to get a handle on just what it means to love someone.
Quote 65
And Roger told me that he and Eileen weren't in love with one another anymore, and that they hadn't been in love with one another for a long time. Which meant that he was feeling lonely too. So we had a lot in common. And then we realised that we were in love with each other. (157.15)
Wow, is it just us, or this incredibly unconvincing? What exactly do they have in common: being lonely? That's it? Well, that's not a good sign. And it's that realization that makes them realize they're in love with each other? Does that sound right to you? Should we give them the benefit of the doubt here?
Quote 66
It was nice in the police cell. [...] I wondered how I would escape if I was in a story. [...] I decided that my best plan would be to wait for a really sunny day and then use my glasses to focus the sunlight on a piece of clothing and start a fire. I would then make my escape when they saw the smoke and too me out of the cell. (23.10)
Notice anything strange about this? Like how half-hearted this escape plan is? First, we really doubt that he could make his clothing catch fire. And even if he did, and was removed from his cell, that seems to be the most difficult part of the effort, yet he offers no plan for what he'll do once he's taken out. So, what's this all about? Well, you notice how this quote starts off? He likes it in there! He has no reason to want to leave. He assumes that if he were "in a story," then that character would probably want to escape. But you could argue that Christopher actually feels most free when locked inside a jail cell by himself.