Jellicoe Road Forgiveness Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"Wherever we go or whoever we meet, promise me you won't judge my mother." […]

"I can't," he says, not only irritated, but dismissive. "Don't ask me to do that."

"That's cold."

"Fine. Call it cold. But you've told me too many things that I'll never forgive her for." (22.36-41)

It's interesting that Taylor was the direct victim of Tate's neglect, but she feels very little anger toward her. Jonah, on the other hand, has never met Tate and has more of an impulse to not forgive.

Quote #5

Then when it was over, she gathered him into her arms. And told him the terrible irony of her life.

That she had wanted to be dead all those years while her brother was alive. That had been her sin.

And this was her penance.

Wanting to live when everyone else seemed dead. (22.87-90)

Part of Narnie's issue is with herself for being too fragile and retreating inward after her parents' death rather than embracing the relationships in front of her. Now, with her brother gone, she understands the value of relationships and longs to have them.

Quote #6

"I had this dream. That someone—actually it was my father—spoke to me and he said, 'Jonah, if you go any farther, you will never come back,' and although I've been told a million times during counseling that I don't need his forgiveness, I just thought it was the closest thing to it. That maybe he was protecting me from something out there and that the warning was his way of saying he forgave me. (23.99)

It turns out Jonah's dad actually was protecting him from something—the serial killer he and Taylor crossed paths with in Yass. Still, Jonah sees the dream as an offering of forgiveness from beyond the grave—his dad helping spare Jonah's life even though Jonah didn't spare his.