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Mama's broken too p.161-162
  • cathylincathylin June 2011
    June 21

    I held the doll out to her. "Is this yours?" I asked.
    "Broken," she said.
    "Is your mama here? Or your papa? Perhaps they can fix it."
    The little girl whispered something. I stepped closer to hear.
    "Mama's broken too," she said. p.161-162

    This passage is very sad to me. Little Nell's mother is "broken" meaning she's dead. Matilda is the person who is talking to Nell. She wishes to help Nell but not having taken care of herself she realizes it is best not to take Nell with her. Eventually she follows her heart.
    Bavan R.
  • cassio June 2011
    I agree that that was a sad time in the book. There was no one to take care of Nell. I felt very sad at this point, but then I thought Matilda was kind to take care of Nell. Matilda had just found Nell crying in her home and realized that she needed someone to take care of her. I don't think I would have the courage to take care of someone who had lost their parents. Matilda shows the true meaning of "Actions not words."
    A.J. N.
  • emmyj June 2011
    Matilda had a lot bravery to take care of Nell when she was struggling to take care of herself. But I don't think if I were Matilda I could just leave Nell there to most likely die. Nell had lost everything and Matilda knew what that felt like. She soon decided to mother her.
    Emily J.
  • med July 2011
    I would have been scared if I had had to take care of Nell, the little girl. Matilda was very brave, kind, and loving to be a mother to the little girl. I thought this was a good part of the book because Nell and Matilda had alot in common;they both had lost their mothers.
    Maeve D.
  • camilleburton July 2011
    This part of the book meant a lot to me, because it takes someone who is brave and has a big heart to take a little girl that you don't even know into your responsibility. It must have been very hard to do that, especially because there was so little food and water. If I ever came to a situation like this, I think that I would make the same decision that Mattie made. I know it would be hard, but still, I feel like I would be doing something bad if I didn't.
    Camille B.
  • Vflower July 2011
    This part of the book was so emotional for me I was sobbing. I just felt so bad for Nell and for Mattie both of them having nobody to turn to, not knowing if their friends and family were dead or alive. Having nowhere to go, nowhere to get food, and no one to take care of them, and no one to tell them it would be all right. Mattie had just lost grandfather and Nell had just lost her mother it was just so sad.
    Violet M.
  • Sydney July 2011
    This part of the book made me tear up. I felt bad for Nell because she had no one to take care of her. Mattie had no family members or friends that were thought to be alive to help her through those dreadful times. Nell said, "mommy is broken too," because her mom died of the fever. Mattie was still trying to get over Grandfather's death and Nell was trying to stop thinking about her mom's death. It was a sad time.
    Sydney R.
  • marieblandmjs July 2011
    Mattie was being very brave to take Nell. Nell made me really think how hard it must have been to lose your mom or dad. I was very sad and it was a very depressing part of the book. Mattie had just witnessed Grandfather's death and Nell had just witnessed her mother's death so they were on the same sad page.
    Marie B.
  • Kathryng July 2011
    To me it's a very scary/sad moment when Mattie takes Nell. I think Mattie was very brave to take a lonely girl with no mother or father to take care of her. Mattie and Nell are alike in a way because they have no parents to take care or help them if they need it.
  • niamhdiver8niamhdiver8 July 2011
    Oh my gosh, this part was so sad. Mattie was brave and took in a little girl called Nell. That would be so hard to do. Mattie was on her own because Grandfather had died.
    Niamh D.
  • DeannaA July 2011
    This part made me feel sad because Nell had no one to take care of her which shows that the Fever left many people alone. Even though this part was sad it made me want to keep on reading and see what happen next and see if Nell finds someone to take care of her or find a place to live.
    Deanna A.
  • pkoehler August 2011
    What personal quality helps Nell through this dire moment and allows her to find a companion and shelter from the chaos around her? Mr. K
  • peterm August 2011
    This part was very sad because Nell was alone and had no one to take care of her. This part was also one of the scariest parts of the book because Nell says, ''Mama's broken too.'' Mattie is really courageous to take Nell with her even though she does not know Nell.
    Peter M.
  • amcculloughamccullough September 2011
    Bavan, you are right, this is the most sad part of the book. I also thought this passage was sad because Nell could not comprehend that her mother was dead, just that she was broken. Also, Mr. K, Nell sees her mama like her doll - both are broken - so she compares both of them as the same thing...broken.

    Austin M.
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