I for Isobel

by

Amy Witting

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on I for Isobel makes teaching easy.

Caroline Mansell Character Analysis

A little girl staying at the lake house where the Callaghans are vacationing. Although Isobel is not allowed to tell anyone that it is her birthday, she shares the news with Caroline but warns her that it is a secret. Caroline promptly tells her father, Mr. Mansell, who gives Isobel a brooch for her birthday—much to May’s horror.

Caroline Mansell Quotes in I for Isobel

The I for Isobel quotes below are all either spoken by Caroline Mansell or refer to Caroline Mansell. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mothers, Daughters, and Self-Discovery Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Birthdays, injustices, parents all vanished. [Isobel] sat on the floor reading till the noise of cups and saucers in the kitchen warned her that the grown-ups would be coming in for afternoon tea, then she went to the little room where she and Margaret slept, next to their parents’ bedroom. It was too hot there, but if she went outside to the cool shade of the fig tree, Caroline and Joanne Mansell would come asking her to play with them, or Margaret would want her to go for a swim. Besides, it wasn’t hot in Baker Street. What a lucky thing that she had found this new place in time to spend the birthday there. Presents didn’t matter so much, if life had these enchanting surprises that were free to everyone.

Related Characters: Isobel Callaghan, Margaret Callaghan, Caroline Mansell
Page Number: 7-8
Explanation and Analysis:

The sound of her mother's quick, foreboding tread made her push the box in a panic under her pillow. Now, she remembered: she had been told not to tell, and she had told. She had told Caroline, who had told Mr. Mansell, and retribution was coming, as her mother advanced with set face and luminous glare and began to slap her, muttering, “Don't you dare to cry. Ungrateful little bitch. Don't you dare to cry. You little swine, thankless little swine, you couldn't say thank you, couldn't even say thank you.” Slap, slap. “Don't open your mouth, don't you dare to cry.” There was not much to cry about, for her mother's intentions were far more violent than her blows. Her hands flapped weakly as if she was fighting against a cage of air.

Related Characters: Mrs. May Callaghan (speaker), Isobel Callaghan, Caroline Mansell, Mr. Mansell
Related Symbols: The Brooch
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
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Caroline Mansell Quotes in I for Isobel

The I for Isobel quotes below are all either spoken by Caroline Mansell or refer to Caroline Mansell. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mothers, Daughters, and Self-Discovery Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Birthdays, injustices, parents all vanished. [Isobel] sat on the floor reading till the noise of cups and saucers in the kitchen warned her that the grown-ups would be coming in for afternoon tea, then she went to the little room where she and Margaret slept, next to their parents’ bedroom. It was too hot there, but if she went outside to the cool shade of the fig tree, Caroline and Joanne Mansell would come asking her to play with them, or Margaret would want her to go for a swim. Besides, it wasn’t hot in Baker Street. What a lucky thing that she had found this new place in time to spend the birthday there. Presents didn’t matter so much, if life had these enchanting surprises that were free to everyone.

Related Characters: Isobel Callaghan, Margaret Callaghan, Caroline Mansell
Page Number: 7-8
Explanation and Analysis:

The sound of her mother's quick, foreboding tread made her push the box in a panic under her pillow. Now, she remembered: she had been told not to tell, and she had told. She had told Caroline, who had told Mr. Mansell, and retribution was coming, as her mother advanced with set face and luminous glare and began to slap her, muttering, “Don't you dare to cry. Ungrateful little bitch. Don't you dare to cry. You little swine, thankless little swine, you couldn't say thank you, couldn't even say thank you.” Slap, slap. “Don't open your mouth, don't you dare to cry.” There was not much to cry about, for her mother's intentions were far more violent than her blows. Her hands flapped weakly as if she was fighting against a cage of air.

Related Characters: Mrs. May Callaghan (speaker), Isobel Callaghan, Caroline Mansell, Mr. Mansell
Related Symbols: The Brooch
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis: