There’s the stock wants tendin’—they need fodder to chomp on through the night. And the milkin’ not even started. Sun’s got nigh two hours ‘fore dark. Reckon that’s time enough for a gal to go a mile and back.”—
-- Thomas Jemison (Chapter 1 paragraph Page 2)

Importance: This quote shows the dialect of the rural farmer. He uses many slang and/or altered words to describe what he’s talking about.

Huddled together, tramping on each other’s heels, like a flock of uncertain sheep, the frightened people walked.
-- Narrator (Chapter 2 paragraph Page 20)

Importance: The use of this simile helps to create a vision and a feeling or atmosphere of how the people looked and felt based on the comparison to scared sheep blindly following each other to an uncertain destination.

Courage was better than fear, Molly said to herself. Courage helped not only yourself but others. She must have courage, not only for herself but for Davy.
-- Molly (Chapter 2 paragraph Page 31)

Importance: After...