How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
The Byrd house sat on a neat lawn separated by a white picket fence from the field grass on either side of the property. A child’s swing dangled from a cedar tree; four little steps painted blue led up to the porch, and from the window, between fluttering curtains, came the smell of gingerbread baking. (2.12.287)
In the heart of the Blue Ridge wilderness is this strange piece of organized, ordered, and manicured land. It’s like that old lady’s house in "The Snow Queen" (a fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson) where summer lives perpetually. The creepy old lady tries to keep the little girl with her forever. Or like in Hansel and Gretel when they come across the witch’s candy house of deliciousness, only to find that the witch wants to eat them. Creepiness seems to follow order and sweetness in this novel. Remember how Guitar can’t eat candy without throwing up? When Milkman returns to Susan Byrd’s house, it’s not as peaceful-looking. In fact, it looks plain "seedy." Homes are deceptive creatures in the world of Song.