Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Transformation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"[…] we had wondered what a rat civilization would be like. Oddly enough, Jenner, my old and best friend, took little part in these discussions; he remained rather glumly silent and seemed disinterested." (19.25)

Is your spider sense buzzing and telling you that Jenner might be a traitor? Ours, too. The use of the words "glumly silent" and "disinterested" give us a hint that something is definitely up with Jenner and that whatever that is will be all the worse because he is Nicodemus's oldest friend.

Quote #8

"All these things we worried about and talked about and puzzled over. But we could not find and easy answer—because there was none.

"There was, however, a hard answer." (19.30-31)

The easy answer seems like it would be to follow Jenner and his gang, who believe that rats should lives as they always have. The hard answer, of course, leads the rats to develop the Plan. Notice that the choices are easy and hard, not bad and good, as if the rats are trying to reserve judgment.

Quote #9

"'I doubt you'll need it […] now that he's learned he can't get out.'

"But they were underestimating Justin. He had learned no such thing." (15.56)

If there's one thing we learn about Justin, it is that he never gives up and he won't back down. The fact that the scientists underestimate Justin is a sign that his transformation has truly begun and his abilities have developed.