Fever, 1793 Memory and the Past Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"Captain William Farnsworth Cook, Pennsylvania Fifth Regiment, here to escort you beyond the lines of the dread and terrible enemy, Yellow Fever, Miss Matilda."

He clicked his boots together and offered his arm to me. Eliza laughed as she wiped her eyes with her apron. (10.73-10.10.74)

With his boots and his saluting, Grandfather really is the past come to life. Here, Grandfather becomes a comic figure.

Quote #8

The tall thief lifted Grandfather's sword from the mantle. "Go to New York if you wish, but I know a gentleman in Wilmington who will pay a pretty price for this."

"That's not worth a Continental," the short one laughed. "I could get a better price for my old stockings. Every old man in America drags his rusty sword around and claims he ran it through a hundred British. It's a piece of junk." (19.24-19.25)

The thieves' view of Grandfather's soldiering weapon isn't as grand as the way Grandfather would see it. For Grandfather, the sword is a symbol of his authority, his honor, and his accomplishments in battle. To them, it's simply a piece of junk that won't fetch a very high price on the black market.

Quote #9

"That's nearly the last of the flour," the woman said.

"It'll be sawdust after this, just like the War." (24.7)

The parallels between the war and the fever are fairly clear – both are times of hardship that test people's character and call for sacrifices. What events have you experienced that have tested you and your community?