How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Edwin turned to Cole. "Nobody's going to babysit you here. If you eat you'll live. If not, you'll die. This land can provide for you or kill you." He pointed into the forest. "Winters are long. Cut plenty of wood or you'll freeze. Keep things dry, because wet kills." (2.15)
When Cole first arrives at the island, he doesn't take Edwin's warning seriously. He thinks that he can totally handle the savagery of the natural world…but he's soon proven wrong.
Quote #2
Cole tried to pull away, but Edwin gripped him like a clamp. "You aren't the only creature here. You're part of a much bigger circle. Learn your place or you'll have a rough time." (2.21)
The whole reason Cole almost dies in his first stint on the island is because he doesn't realize that he has to respect the other creatures who are sharing the world with him. He's terrible to them—which is why Spirit Bear attacks him.
Quote #3
In that instant, Cole realized his mistake. His anger had so clouded his thinking, he hadn't considered the incoming tide. With every stroke forward, a giant invisible hand had pushed him two strokes backward into the bay, returning him toward the shore. (5.3)
Cole is super cocky and thinks he's going to escape the island with no issues…but he soon finds that Mother Nature always gets the last word. It doesn't matter if he's a great swimmer—the tide is going to win out every time.