Hortense’s father, Lovell Roberts, is a light-skinned and powerful government bureaucrat. Hortense is considered lucky because of her father’s high status, and her mother, Alberta, even gives her up to be raised by his family. However, Lovell never shows any interest in her and she never meets him, instead spending her childhood with his cold-hearted cousins, Philip and Martha Roberts. While Lovell gives his daughter the benefit of an education, he denies her the security of a loving family.
Lovell Roberts Quotes in Small Island
The Small Island quotes below are all either spoken by Lovell Roberts or refer to Lovell Roberts. 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:
).
Chapter 3: Hortense
Quotes
With such a countenance there was a chance of a golden life for I. What, after all, could Alberta give? Bare black feet skipping over stones. If I was given to my father’s cousins for upbringing, I could learn to read and write and perform all my times tables. And more. I could become a lady worthy of my father, wherever he might be.
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Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Lovell Roberts Quotes in Small Island
The Small Island quotes below are all either spoken by Lovell Roberts or refer to Lovell Roberts. 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:
).
Chapter 3: Hortense
Quotes
With such a countenance there was a chance of a golden life for I. What, after all, could Alberta give? Bare black feet skipping over stones. If I was given to my father’s cousins for upbringing, I could learn to read and write and perform all my times tables. And more. I could become a lady worthy of my father, wherever he might be.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
