I carried the cups out to the kitchen, and inside of me long, mysterious words began to crawl across my soul like a protective membrane.
-- Narrator (Childhood: Chapter 1)

Importance: Tove discovers her love for language as a little girl. Often overcome by loneliness and alienation, Tove retreats into her mind for a sense of relieving detachment from reality. In this passage, Tove finds comfort in the ephemeral rhythms that flow through her body. The line introduces and establishes Tove's relationship with language and writing, one that evolves throughout the course of her life, and acts as a propelling narrative force throughout the memoir.

I want to be a poet too!
-- Tove (Childhood: Chapter 4)

Importance: Though Tove often disregards her father, in this moment, she eagerly responds to his question about her desires for the future. As soon as she voices what she wants to be when she grows up, Tove seems to regret her honesty. Her father immediately...