Room Part 1: Presents Quotes
Room Part 1: Presents Quotes
How we cite the quotes:
[Part.Paragraph]
Quote 22
Nothing makes Ma scared. Except Old Nick maybe. Mostly she calls him just him, I didn't even know the name for him until I saw a cartoon about a guy that comes in the night called Old Nick. (1.105)
Ma is scared of Old Nick and for good reason. He abuses and rapes Ma multiple times a week. Even though Jack doesn't know exactly what's going on, he knows it's a reason for fear.
Quote 23
If the rings [of the stovetop] ever go against something like a dish towel or our clothes even, flames would run all over with orange tongues and burn Room to ashes with us coughing and choking and screaming with the worst pain ever. (1.188)
Yikes. That sounds terrible. And it would be. There's no way Jack made up all this detail by himself. He must have gotten it from Ma. She's made sure to scare Jack into being safe, because she doesn't want to lose him, especially not in such a horrible way.
Quote 24
"I don't like there to be hidey places." "What's the big deal?" "Zombies." "Ah." "Or ogres of vampires—" (1.224-1.228)
Even though Jack is smart and understands that some things are real and some things are imaginary (yes, some of the things he considers imaginary are also real, but that's another topic), like any child, he's still afraid of imaginary things, like zombies, ogres, and vampires. They could be lurking anywhere!