Now a boy is of all wild beasts the most difficult to manage. For by how much the more he has the fountain of prudence not yet fitted up, he becomes crafty and keen, and the most insolent of wild beasts. On this account, it is necessary to bind him, as it were, with many chains.
-- Plato, from "The Laws" (Chapter 1)

Importance: This introductory quote begins the novel by explicitly linking the theme of boyhood with the imagery of wild animals, while also developing the metaphor of the novel’s title. As the first chapter explores, the brothers are almost a force of nature in their whirlwind play, and they are all the wilder for their strong sibling bond. Plato’s view of boyhood is reflected in their father’s attitude and harsh discipline. His attempts to “bind” them, however, inevitably fail, as the brothers are only ever restrained by their love for their mother.

We...
-- The Brothers (Chapter 1)