Atthestartofthissection,Mattie'sgrandfatherreferstoher"soldieringlessons,"which hehasbeenteachingherstarting"fromhercrawlingdays"(79). Identifyatleasttwo actions of Mattie's from this section of the novel which demonstrate that she has learned valuable survival skills from these lessons of her grandfather's.
Mattie searches for and finds water near the willow tree.
“Old soldier’s trick,” I said as I set off. Find a willow tree and you’ll soon find water nearby.
Mattie used nature to access her surroundings.
“Raspberry bushes mean rabbits are about,” I told a curious bluebird watching from a milkweed plant."
Grandfather could snare a rabbit, and I’d cook it over a small fire."
Gathering fruit...
Above me hung gnarled branches heavy with green speckled pears. I grabbed one and bit into it, ignoring the juice that ran down my fingers and chin. I gathered as many pears as I could carry and set off with new energy to find Grandfather. With food, we could hold out for days.
Fever 1793
