How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Rich, then, this Kate de Vries. I couldn't help feeling sorry for her, though, shackled to a chaperone and one like Miss Simpkins at that! (2.98)
Is she shackled with the lame chaperone because she's rich, or because she's a girl? Do you think a boy would be stuck with someone following his every move making sure what he's doing is appropriate? Yeah, neither do we.
Quote #2
Our suggestion to you would be to put your grandfather's writings out of your mind and turn your interests elsewhere, to more comfortable young ladies' pursuits.
"Did you get to the 'young ladies' pursuits' part?" she demanded.
"Just now, yes."
"I suppose they mean darning socks and needlepoint or making iced butter balls for the dinner table." (5.96-99)
There is almost nothing more insulting to a feminist than insinuating that their interests lie outside the realm of respectability, particularly because those "comfortable" pursuits are often restricted to activities that fall in the domestic category. Just because Kate is a woman does not mean that she has any less of a right to pursue a career in academia, and she's going to prove it.
Quote #3
"The captain's a fair man."
"I'm sure he is. But you remember the letter they sent me, those important gentlemen from the Zoological Society. Turn your attention to more ladylike pursuits. They'd just take it away from me, and I won't put up with it. This is our discovery, Matt. If we tell them, they'll take it away from us. They'll treat us like children." (9.221-222)
It's interesting that here Kate juxtaposes her treatment as a woman with being treated like children. In a patriarchal society where women are second-class citizens, one way to keep them that way is to patronize and insult their efforts as not being good enough. If you are told over and over again that you can't be as good as a man, eventually you might come to believe that fallacy. It's a good thing that Kate is as stubborn as she is.
Quote #4
"[My parents] certainly don't want me to study at university. All they want me to do is dress and behave appropriately and not embarrass them. My interests seem to embarrass them. And my talking. I'm always being told I'm saying the wrong thing, or at the wrong time, or too boldly. 'Kate, you are too bold,' my mother always says. " (11.100)
This used to be a typical expectation for children, particularly girls. Ever hear the phrase seen and not heard? It came about because girls were supposed to be silent objects, not actual people. (Check out the origins).
Quote #5
"Isn't it funny how we both started calling it HIM."
"I didn't even think about it."
"We have no way of knowing whether it's a he or a she. But of course we just call it him. Just another big important male of the species."
She looked at me angrily, as if this were all my fault somehow. "Let's call it SHE, then," I suggested. Her frown disappeared.
"All right. Good. She." (11.201-205)
Kate actually raises an interesting point. Why did they assume it was a dude? Or is it just easier to say he without really intending to describe its sex? (Whoa—maybe we all need to take a gender studies class. We're in over our heads, here.)
Quote #6
"Bones!" said Miss Simpkins with a shudder, finally setting the femur down on the captain's desk as though it might come alive, snakelike, in her hand. "This is not a healthy pursuit, Kate. It is morbid."
"It isn't," Kate protested. "It's a perfectly fine pursuit. I plan to become an archeological zoologist."
"This does not have the approval of her parents, I can assure you," Miss Simpkins told the captain. (13.92-94)
Geez, it's like Kate said, "I plan to become a con artist to scam people out of their hard-earned money." There are worse pursuits than trying to become a respected scientist. Way worse.
Quote #7
"That's not fair," she said hotly. "You think I'm being selfish, don't you? That I'm rich and have nothing but choices. I'm a girl, and girls don't get choices. No one's going to give me a chance unless I force them to. It's not enough to be smart and curious. It's just like you, being poor. You and I have to try harder and be better to get ahead. I have to have something amazing like this before they'll pay attention to me." (14.255)
Good analogy, Kate. We've got nothing to add. In fact, we'd like this printed on T-Shirts. Carry on.
Quote #8
"I'll go do the other one," said Kate, and before I could stop her she was climbing out of the engine car, up toward the ship. I had to give it to her. She wasn't one to sit idly by; she wanted a part of everything. I liked that about her." (19.159)
Of course you like that about her, Matt. She's a go-getter. She's smart. She's funny. And she's not about to sit idly by when there's an airship to rescue. There's nothing appealing about someone who's content to just sit and watch life pass them by.
Quote #9
"I'm just practicing being stern. I think you need to be stern for people to take you seriously. Especially in public debate." (21.45)
This is a pretty apt observation, actually. If you want to be perceived as serious about something, then you should act seriously. It's not that difficult. However, "stern" kind of makes us picture a frowny-face, and you don't have to be grumpy to be serious.
Quote #10
Neither of us mentioned the kiss in the forest, though I had thought about it often. Sitting across from her now, there was nothing I wanted to do more. But there she was in her suit and hat, so prim and newly famous and much more ladylike than I remembered her, and I just could not imagine it. I liked her better in her torn harem pants, her face streaked with dirt. (21.80)
She intimidates Matt now that she's dressed like a grown woman (and a wealthy one, at that). Of course she'd be more approachable when she's filthy and wearing clothes that are more appropriate for Halloween. But maybe that's unfair to Matt. Maybe he's a got a thing for dirt. You do you, Matt. You do you.