The Graveyard Book Fate and Free Will Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

He was surprised when he hit the floor, but he did not cry out: if you cried they came and put you back in your crib. (1.18)

Baby Bod does escape the crib and the house of his own free will. However, he seems to be guided by some invisible power up the hill to the graveyard.

Quote #2

He couldn’t push the minds of the dead as he could the living, but he could use all the tools of flattery he possessed, for the dead are not immune to either. (1.112)

Silas, as much as we like him, has the not-so-nice ability to take free will from people.  We’re pretty sure he does this only in extreme circumstances. It’s also worth noting that he never does this to Bod – not even when Bod runs away.

Quote #3

Silas went out for one final journey before sunrise. He found the tall house on the side of the hill, and he examined the three bodies he found there, and examined the pattern of the knife-wounds. (1.167)

It sounds like Silas is matching up the crime scene with something else he’s heard about. He may well have heard about the prophecy and is looking for proof that Bod is the child expected to bring down the Jacks.