The Yearling Life Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

"'Nobody but me don't take life serious,' she lamented" (3.73)

To be fair, Ma Baxter says this right after Jody teases her about how she'd look fighting Old Slewfoot, so we get why she's irritated. Still, this doesn't seem quite fair. We're pretty sure Penny takes life plenty seriously—he just manages to find joy in it, too.

Quote #2

"You kin tame a 'coon. […] You kin tame arything, son, excusing the human tongue" (9.79)

Huh. Well, Pa Forrester sure wouldn't agree with Penny here, and we think this quotation gives us a nice little insight into Penny's mind: even though he knows life is hard, he's an optimist at heart. If you can tame a 'coon, you can tame anything—even life.

Quote #3

"The one we cain't spare was the one was takened" (17.82)

Poor Pa Forrester. Fodder-wing may have been little and weird, but he was their little and weird guy. That's the thing about rural life in the 1870s, though: you stood a really good chance of seeing your kids and siblings die.