“Father Slattery had marked her with a thick cross an inch wide and two inches long. The rub of the finger raised the piney, a resinous scent of whatever blessed unguent the ashes were mixed with and blurred the curiae shape to a sooty smudge.”
The quote shows the significance of Ash Wednesday in the Catholic faith. Cushla's family is Catholic despite living in a predominantly Protestant town. When Cushla looks at the thick cross sign on her forehead, she reflects on God's blessings upon her family. The sign of the cross using ashes is symbolic because it represents God's blessings among his people.
“A booby-trap bomb that was intended for a British Army foot patrol exploded prematurely, killing two boys near the border. They died instantly.”
News briefing every morning in the school helps children to be aware of their environment's happenings. The quote, however, reveals a disturbing trend because young children are exposed to sensitive information that can negatively impact their growth. A child learning about violence is inappropriate because they might interpret society as evil.
“Mr. Bradley, the headmaster, was in the corridor when they came out. He loomed over Davy and said, where’s your coat?”
Davy comes from a low-income family that cannot afford to buy him a coat. Despite the cold weather, Davy has to persevere. The only person aware of Davy's tribulations is his teacher Cushla. Davy opened up to Cushla and told her that his family was struggling financially. Cushla vows to help Davy and his family, but she needs financial assistance to implement her pledge.
