The Bad Beginning Courage Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Count Olaf looked down at Sunny, who had spoken so suddenly. With an inhuman roar he picked her up in one scraggly hand and raised her so she was staring at him in the eye. Needless to say, Sunny was very frightened and began crying immediately, too scared to even try to bite the hand that held her.

"Put her down immediately, you beast!" Klaus shouted. He jumped up, trying to rescue Sunny from the grasp of the Count, but he was holding her too high to reach. Count Olaf looked down at Klaus and smiled a terrible, toothy grin, raising the wailing Sunny up even higher in the air. He seemed about to drop her to the floor when there was a large burst of laughter in the next room. (4.19-20)

Poor little Sunny. Klaus is pretty daring to try to stand up to Count Olaf here—he could really hurt Sunny and her brother knows it, so he doesn't back down. Way to go, kid.

Quote #5

Count Olaf's face grew very red. For a moment he said nothing. Then, in one sudden movement, he reached down and struck Klaus across the face. Klaus fell to the floor, his face inches from the eye tattooed on Olaf's ankle. His glasses leaped from his face and skittered into a corner. His left cheek, where Olaf had struck him, felt as if it were on fire. The theater troupe laughed, and a few of them applauded as if Count Olaf had done something very brave instead of something despicable. (4.46)

And this is what happens when you really make Count Olaf angry. Klaus has had enough of his villainy and decides to say something, but gets a smack for all his tenacity. You'll also notice that Count Olaf's theater troupe seems to think he's pretty brave for slapping a small child. Awful.

Quote #6

This was his last moment in the library, and perhaps his last opportunity to foil Count Olaf's plan. But what to do? Hearing the faint sounds of the hook-handed man talking to Justice Strauss in the garden, Klaus looked frantically around the library for something that could be helpful. Then, just as he heard the man's footsteps heading back his way, Klaus spied one book, and quickly grabbed it. He untucked his shirt and put the book inside, hastily retucking it just as the hook-handed man reentered the library, escorting Violet and carrying Sunny, who was trying without success to bite the man's hooks.

"I'm ready to go," Klaus said quickly, and walked out the door before the man could get a good look at him. He walked quickly ahead of his siblings, hoping that nobody would notice the book-shaped lump in his shirt. Maybe, just maybe, the book Klaus was smuggling could save their lives. (7.39-40)

Good thinking by Klaus here. Not only does he make a brave move in taking the book (and risking being caught by the hook-handed man), but Sunny is a bit daring, too. Did you notice how she tries to bite the man's hooks? Nice job, Sunny.