How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"You are three willful, spoiled children who are prepared to nag me for your bedtime story."
Theodora giggled, and the doctor nodded at her happily. (3.90)
Just in case you thought we were reading too much into the whole "surrogate family" thing, here's this quote to drive the point home. Yes, Dr. Montague jokes around with this quote, but it's also a sly nudge, nudge, wink, wink from the novel, too.
Quote #5
Mrs. Sanderson let me rummage through a box of family papers, and so I have seen some of the letters Miss Crain received from her sister, and in all of them those dishes stand out as a recurrent sore subject. (3.130)
The importance of family is layered like a cake or an onion or another… layered… um, thing. The argument between the Crain sisters over the dishes echoes a similar argument Eleanor and her sister had over the car. In each case, it doesn't end well for the family. Another question to consider is why these family squabbles are so petty. Dishes, people? Dishes?
Quote #6
"When Luke and I are called outside, and you two are kept imprisoned inside, doesn't it begin to seem"—and his voice was very quiet—"doesn't it begin to seem that the intention is, somehow, to separate us?" (4.296)
Hill House puts itself between the surrogate family. In this way, Hill House is the opposite of a home, which should be a place where families come together. Is Hill House responsible, or is it the negativity coming from Eleanor that is driving people apart?