How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"It's a good thing, giving presents for Christmas," Mr. Hook went on; but he sounded as if for him there wasn't much to it any more. Tom recalled hearing Ox say that Mr. Hook lived alone. His wife, Ox, said, had gone off with another man not long after they were married. No one knew what lay behind it, but George Hook hadn't married again, though there were plenty of young women who would have been glad to oblige him if he had ever asked. (12.4)
Look at that. Mr. Hook's wife left him just like Polly Ann's husband left her. It's definitely not the best of things to have in common, but it emphasizes Tom's knack for facilitating friendships and his ability to repair the past. Mr. Hook even finds the joy in Christmas again, joining the Dolan family for the holiday after he grows close to Tom. Cute.
Quote #5
He went across to the road and started down it, feeling sudden loneliness overwhelming him. It had begun to snow. It was a snow without wind, drifting straight and softly to the earth, but there was a lot of it. As he came down the hill to join the river road he knew that his snowshoe track would be all dusted over back on the flats. There would be nothing to show he had visited the Widow Breen. (20.23)
Nothing like trudging through a snowstorm to make you feel lonely. Especially after visiting Mrs. Breen, even if she insists that she's not lonely because she has so many memories. Still, as Tom leaves her place, he's overcome with a feeling of loneliness from seeing how solitary her life is. Ever heard the saying that there's a difference between being alone and being lonely? Does the Widow Breen make a convincing case that being alone actually isn't the sad state of affairs Tom makes it out to be?
Quote #6
The two buildings looked just the same as when Tom had last seen them, only there was no snow; and it didn't seem as lonely with all of them climbing down from the wagons and clustering on the porch. (24.8)
Tom never really says that he himself is lonely. However, when he is in group of men like in this scene and when he talks about belonging, there is a feeling that this type of camaraderie has been missing from his life. Who doesn't love being part of a cluster?