How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Part.Paragraph)
Quote #1
[…] so I dragged him across the burning cotton field to share with him the only beauty I knew, Old Woman Swamp. (2.4)
What a gorgeous line. It tells us a lot about who Brother is. This factors into the theme of love as well. Because Doodle appreciates the beauty of the swamp as much as Brother does, they are able to connect meaningfully. They have a lot in common.
Quote #2
"Yes, yes" I cried, and he cried it to, and the grass beneath us was soft and the smell of the swamp was sweet. (3.14)
This passage engages our sense to help us see the beauty Brother sees. We can almost feel, see, and smell the scene. The word "sweet" gives things a gentle tone. In moments like this, it's hard to believe that Brother is the mean, selfish guy he claims to be.
Quote #3
We decided that when we were grown we would live in Old Woman Swamp and pick dog-tongue for a living. (3.22)
If that isn't a commitment to nature, we don't know what is. This is another moment where Brother and Doodle express a desire not to get involved in the outside world. It's only when Brother learns that Doodle will have to leave paradise, for, the harsh world of school that things start to go wrong.
Quote #4
Suddenly Daddy straightened his shoulders, raised a giant knuckly fist, and with a voice that seemed to rumble out of the earth itself began cursing heaven, hell, the weather, and the Republican party.
This is a lighter moment in the story. The boys react to Daddy's display with giggles, suggesting that within this man that seems so tough, yet so natural, in his surroundings, lies a core of gentleness and kindness.
Quote #5
"Dead birds is bad luck. […] Specially red dead birds." (4.43)
Nicey's comment about the death and decay side of nature marks a turning point in the story. It's the last thing we read before the final tragic scene. Nicey also seems to believe that events in the natural world comment on the lives of the humans who encounter them. What do you think of that?
Quote #6
The rain was coming, roaring through the pines, and then, like a bursting Roman candle, a gum tree ahead of us was shattered by a bolt of lightening. (4.46)
Brother seems to find the more threatening aspects of nature just as exciting as the flowers, plants and waters. The vivid imagery here also creates a tone of urgency and suspense that propels us to the end of the tale.