How we cite our quotes: Paragraph
Quote #1
She carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella, and with this she kept tapping the frozen earth in front of her. This made a grave and persistent noise in the still air that seemed meditative, like the chirping of a solitary little bird. (1)
Hey, look—the word "persistent" right there in paragraph number one. The first two paragraphs of the story are pretty much straight up description of Phoenix and her initial setting. Throwing in the word "persistent" alongside this makes it clear that we are to associate perseverance with Phoenix's character.
Quote #2
"Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!… Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites… Keep the big wild hogs out of my path. Don't let none of those come running my direction. I got a long way." (3)
This quote gives us Phoenix's first words. Here's what strikes us most: The first four sentences that Phoenix speaks in the story are imperative sentences—they give commands, show us who's boss. Phoenix is taking charge because she knows she has a long way to go, and she is not going to let anything stop her. The series of imperative sentences give us the first impression of a woman on a mission.
Quote #3
The path ran up a hill. "Seem like there is chains about my feet time, I get this far," she said, in a voice of argument old people keep to use with themselves. "Something always take a hold of me on this hill—pleads I should stay." (5)
The "voice of argument" mentioned in this quotation suggests internal conflict. Just because persistence is established early as part of Phoenix's character does not mean that carrying on in the face of struggle isn't difficult for her. Phoenix has already traveled far by this point and now she is going uphill. The going is hard. Her body is telling her to stop, so she pleads with herself in order to continue on.