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| 7499532020 | No birthday presents this year - Mrs. Callaghan (page3) | Deliberate cruelty and injustice - the family are on summer holiday, so they obviously have some money, making their decision not to buy Isobel a present particularly unnecessary and nasty. | 0 | |
| 7499543360 | Whenever she found a new argument against birthday presents for Isobel, a strange look of relief would appear on her face (page4) | Mrs. Callaghan derives a perverse pleasure in making Isobel unhappy - Isobel refers to this very idea later on | 1 | |
| 7499555161 | Her father said, sounding tired...her father was eating, paying no attention. (page6and12) | Mr. Callaghan is worn by his own experiences with Mrs. Callaghan and no longer fights back. This is who Isobel will become if she cannot find a way to escape / rebel. | 2 | |
| 7499562730 | A harsh loud voice came out of her mouth, saying 'Is that thing mine?' (page14) | Isobel appears ungrateful but her response highlights the treatment she has received in the past, thinking only to label the gift as a 'thing' that does not belong to her. | 3 | |
| 7499599997 | It was a present for a real girl. (page15) | This suggests that Isobel has not previously existed - the gift has brought her to life | 4 | |
| 7499609009 | ...you bring disgrace on us wherever we go. Words are wasted on you, gawping there like an idiot.' (page16and17) | Ironic as words actually define Isobel. This establishes Isobel's lack of self-awareness, believing that perhaps her own words, as would be used to be a writer, are insufficient and 'wasted'. This corresponds with the idea that anything she finds pleasurable is shameful. In saying this, Mrs. Callaghan has taken Isobel's identity and make her words / love of reading seem worthless, therefore, the chapter is about more than a lack of birthday present - that is not the worst thing that happens to Isobel in her childhood. | 5 | |
| 7499626299 | She lifted it out of the box, set it on the lid and read it like a book while she ate her lunch. (page15) | Isobel now 'reads' life, she does not experience it. | 6 | |
| 7499659016 | You don't know whether you're telling the truth or not - Mrs. Callaghan (page19) | Isobel's creativity is again admonished - she is made to believe she is a liar and a sinner. | 7 | |
| 7499663882 | Mrs. Callaghan spoke with 'obvious affectation'. (20) | A pretend feeling, behaviour or speech that is pretentious and designed to impress. This is how Mrs. Callaghan feels she should react - she is not authentic. This is ironic, given that she always accuses Isobel of being a liar | 8 | |
| 7499687226 | But they were so lovely, her people, so kind and happy and dear. (page25) | This is more psychological motivation for Isobel to continue her reading / escaping | 9 | |
| 7499694980 | She saw this and she didn't believe it for a moment. (page28) | Everyone knows Mrs. Callaghan is lying but no one confronts her deceit thus no one advocates for Isobel in this way. | 10 | |
| 7499701485 | Margaret walked on in silence, frowning at the ground. (page28) | Everyone knows Mrs. Callaghan is lying but no one confronts her deceit thus no one advocates for Isobel in this way. | 11 |
