The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge Chapter 7: September 2, 1823 – Morning Quotes
How we cite the quotes:
(Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote 1
Glass spent almost a year with the Loup Pawnee [...] After overcoming his initial reticence, Kicking Bull adopted the white man like a son. (1.7.86)
Glass has a different perspective on the frontier than most: he's been on both sides of the equation. As a result, he not only understands the local tribes more than his pale peers, but he also empathizes with them to a much large degree. He has Kicking Bull to thank for that.
Quote 2
From the east he felt anew the powerful pull of his ties to the civilized world. [...] From the west he felt the tantalizing lure of terra incognita. (1.7.89)
Although Glass still has ties to civilization, he finds himself drawn to the wild frontier like a moth to a flame. It's not that he loves doing outdoorsy stuff. It's not that he's running away from his real life. It's not even about the money. On its most basic level, Glass's love for nature is a reflection of his love for freedom.
Quote 3
He slipped between consciousness, unconsciousness, and a confusing state in between, aware of his surroundings like random pages of a book. (1.7.7)
Glass isn't in all that much pain following the bear attack. Sure, it hurt like Hades when it was happening, but his body pretty much went numb halfway through. Still, we see here that the psychological and mental effects of the attack can be just as disorienting.
Quote 4
The source of Hugh's fascination lay not in the abstract representation of places, but rather in the places themselves, and above all the vast masses marked terra incognita. (1.7.17)
As a youngster, Hugh Glass becomes totally obsessed with cartography. As it happens, however, this interest doesn't derive from the act of actually making maps—it's rooted in the mysterious places those maps depict.
Quote 5
Glass had come to view the sea, which he once embraced as synonymous with freedom, as no more than the confining parameters of small ships. (1.7.57)
Glass first tries to scratch his exploration itch by becoming a sailor. And sure, that works for a while, but the experience quickly becomes claustrophobic. So if Glass can't find adventure on the sea, and Bridger can't find it on the Mississippi, then where can they find it?
Quote 6
The men knew little about Texas, but Glass found himself suddenly exhilarated, about to embark without compass into the interior of the continent. (1.7.68)
Only somebody like Glass would be enthused about being abandoned in the middle of a Texas desert, but we wouldn't have it any other way. After all, he's found exactly what he's been searching for his entire life: an uncharted place where he can make his own way, free of all constraints.
Quote 7
Three hundred and fifty miles. A healthy man in good weather could cover that ground in two weeks. How far can I crawl in a day? (1.7.49)
Think about that for a second. Just think about it. Glass is still recovering from a brutal bear attack, yet he still has the determination to crawl across hundreds of miles of rocky terrain in order to get revenge. Just think about that the next time you take the elevator instead of the stairs.
Quote 8
His jaw set [...] and he felt again the visceral desire to strike out in pursuit. This time though, he also felt the weakness of his body. (1.7.29)
After being abandoned by Fitzgerald and Bridger, Glass's first thought is to get some sweet, sweet revenge. Good plan. There's just one problem, however: Glass was just—uh, you know—attacked by a giant bear. That kind of thing tends to take its toll on the body, wouldn't you think?