I wonder if this is the magic taking over. Is this how it starts – the slip of the tongue? A loss of respect? Is this how I become a monster the men whisper of?
-- Tierney (chapter 8)

Importance: This thought comes into Tierney’s mind as soon as she verbalizes her anger at the fact that she has been chosen for marriage. This is a significant moment in that it shows just how deeply ingrained the county’s teachings are in Tierney’s mind. Not only does Tierney believe that the magic may be real, but she fears it. The fact that Tierney thinks that showing a lack of respect for men is the first signs of magic shows that the county has succeeded in making Tierney believe she, as a woman, should be subservient to men. The supposed “monster” she fears she is becoming is simply that of an independent woman who speaks...