The Phantom Tollbooth

The Phantom Tollbooth

by

Norton Juster

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Princess of Pure Reason Character Analysis

Reason is a princess who, along with her sister Rhyme, has been imprisoned in the Castle in the Air for many years. Because of this, there’s no rhyme or reason in the Lands Beyond, and absurdity reigns instead. Reason looks exactly like her sister—they’re both blond and beautiful—but where her sister is often laughing, Reason is more reserved and chooses her words extremely carefully. The old king found Rhyme and Reason abandoned at his grape arbor when the girls were infants and raised them as princesses. Together, the girls kept things balanced in the Lands Beyond and made up a sort of high court; they often weighed in on important decisions and offered fair and balanced rulings. Their older brothers, Azaz the Unabridged and the Mathemagician, imprisoned the girls when the girls ruled that words and numbers are equally important. When Milo arrives in the Castle in the Air to rescue the princesses, they impress upon him the importance of education and being sensible. People are always learning, and this is always a good thing, they suggest; it’s important to look at the world with a level head. With the princesses rescued, figurative rhyme and reason return to the Lands Beyond.

Princess of Pure Reason Quotes in The Phantom Tollbooth

The The Phantom Tollbooth quotes below are all either spoken by Princess of Pure Reason or refer to Princess of Pure Reason. 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:
Knowledge, Learning, and the Purpose of Education Theme Icon
).
Chapter 6. Faintly Macabre’s Story Quotes

“‘Words and numbers are of equal value for, in the cloak of knowledge, one is warp and the other woof. It is no more important to count the sands than it is to name the stars. Therefore, let both kingdoms live in peace.’”

“Everyone was pleased with the verdict. Everyone, that is, but the brothers, who were beside themselves with anger.

“‘What good are these girls if they cannot settle an argument in someone’s favor?’ they growled, since both were more interested in their own advantage than in the truth.”

Related Characters: King Azaz the Unabridged (speaker), The Mathemagician (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), Faintly Macabre (speaker), Milo, Tock
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 77
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12. The Silent Valley Quotes

“It doesn’t make me happy to hold back the sounds,” she began softly, “for if we listen to them carefully they can sometimes tell us things far better than words.”

“But if that is so,” asked Milo—and he had no doubt that it was—“shouldn’t you release them?”

“NEVER!” she cried. “They just use them to make horrible noises which are ugly to see and worse to hear. I leave all that to Dr. Dischord and that awful, awful DYNNE.”

“But some noises are good sounds, aren’t they?” he insisted.

“That may be true,” she replied stubbornly, “but if they won’t make the sounds that I like, they won’t make any.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Soundkeeper (speaker), King Azaz the Unabridged, The Mathemagician, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason, Dr. Kakofonous A. Dischord, The DYNNE
Page Number: 158
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13. Unfortunate Conclusions Quotes

“But it’s all my fault. For you can’t improve sound by having only silence. The problem is to use each at the proper time.”

Related Characters: The Soundkeeper (speaker), Milo, Tock, The Humbug, King Azaz the Unabridged, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason, Chroma
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 163
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16. A Very Dirty Bird Quotes

“I hope you found what you were looking for.”

“I’m afraid not,” admitted Milo. And then he added in a very discouraged tone, “Everything in Digitopolis is much too difficult for me.”

The Mathemagician nodded knowingly and stroked his chin several times. “You’ll find,” he remarked gently, “that the only thing you can do easily is be wrong, and that’s hardly worth the effort.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Mathemagician (speaker), Tock, The Humbug, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason
Page Number: 198
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17. Unwelcoming Committee Quotes

“I’m the demon of insincerity,” he sobbed. I don’t mean what I say, I don’t mean what I do, and I don’t mean what I am. Most people who believe what I tell them go the wrong way, and stay there, but you and your awful telescope have spoiled everything. I’m going home.” And, crying hysterically, he stamped off in a huff.

“It certainly pays to have a good look at things,” observed Milo as he wrapped up the telescope with great care.

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Demon of Insincerity (speaker), Tock, The Humbug, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason, Alec Bings
Related Symbols: Gifts
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18. Castle in the Air Quotes

“but we would have been here much sooner if I hadn’t made so many mistakes. I’m afraid it’s all my fault.”

“You must never feel badly about making mistakes,” explained Reason quietly, “as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 233
Explanation and Analysis:

“And it’s much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer.”

“And remember also,” added the Princess of Sweet Rhyme, “that many places you would like to see and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you’ll reach them all, for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow.”

“I think I understand,” Milo said, still full of questions and thoughts; “but which is the most important—”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), King Azaz the Unabridged, The Mathemagician
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 234
Explanation and Analysis:

“But what about the Castle in the Air?” the bug objected, not very pleased with the arrangement.

“Let it drift away,” said Rhyme.

“And good riddance,” added Reason, for no matter how beautiful it seems, it’s still nothing but a prison.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Humbug (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), Tock, King Azaz the Unabridged, The Mathemagician, Princess of Sweet Rhyme
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air, Time/Tock’s Alarm Clock
Page Number: 236
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19. The Return of Rhyme and Reason Quotes

“That’s why, said Azaz, “there was one very important thing about your quest that we couldn’t discuss until you returned.”

“I remember,” said Milo eagerly. “Tell me now.”

“It was impossible,” said the king, looking at the Mathemagician.

“Completely impossible,” said the Mathemagician, looking at the king.

“Do you mean—” stammered the bug, who suddenly felt a bit faint.

“Yes, indeed,” they repeated together; “but if we’d told you then, you might not have gone—and, as you’ve discovered, so many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Humbug (speaker), King Azaz the Unabridged (speaker), The Mathemagician (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 247
Explanation and Analysis:
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Princess of Pure Reason Quotes in The Phantom Tollbooth

The The Phantom Tollbooth quotes below are all either spoken by Princess of Pure Reason or refer to Princess of Pure Reason. 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:
Knowledge, Learning, and the Purpose of Education Theme Icon
).
Chapter 6. Faintly Macabre’s Story Quotes

“‘Words and numbers are of equal value for, in the cloak of knowledge, one is warp and the other woof. It is no more important to count the sands than it is to name the stars. Therefore, let both kingdoms live in peace.’”

“Everyone was pleased with the verdict. Everyone, that is, but the brothers, who were beside themselves with anger.

“‘What good are these girls if they cannot settle an argument in someone’s favor?’ they growled, since both were more interested in their own advantage than in the truth.”

Related Characters: King Azaz the Unabridged (speaker), The Mathemagician (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), Faintly Macabre (speaker), Milo, Tock
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 77
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12. The Silent Valley Quotes

“It doesn’t make me happy to hold back the sounds,” she began softly, “for if we listen to them carefully they can sometimes tell us things far better than words.”

“But if that is so,” asked Milo—and he had no doubt that it was—“shouldn’t you release them?”

“NEVER!” she cried. “They just use them to make horrible noises which are ugly to see and worse to hear. I leave all that to Dr. Dischord and that awful, awful DYNNE.”

“But some noises are good sounds, aren’t they?” he insisted.

“That may be true,” she replied stubbornly, “but if they won’t make the sounds that I like, they won’t make any.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Soundkeeper (speaker), King Azaz the Unabridged, The Mathemagician, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason, Dr. Kakofonous A. Dischord, The DYNNE
Page Number: 158
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13. Unfortunate Conclusions Quotes

“But it’s all my fault. For you can’t improve sound by having only silence. The problem is to use each at the proper time.”

Related Characters: The Soundkeeper (speaker), Milo, Tock, The Humbug, King Azaz the Unabridged, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason, Chroma
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 163
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16. A Very Dirty Bird Quotes

“I hope you found what you were looking for.”

“I’m afraid not,” admitted Milo. And then he added in a very discouraged tone, “Everything in Digitopolis is much too difficult for me.”

The Mathemagician nodded knowingly and stroked his chin several times. “You’ll find,” he remarked gently, “that the only thing you can do easily is be wrong, and that’s hardly worth the effort.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Mathemagician (speaker), Tock, The Humbug, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason
Page Number: 198
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17. Unwelcoming Committee Quotes

“I’m the demon of insincerity,” he sobbed. I don’t mean what I say, I don’t mean what I do, and I don’t mean what I am. Most people who believe what I tell them go the wrong way, and stay there, but you and your awful telescope have spoiled everything. I’m going home.” And, crying hysterically, he stamped off in a huff.

“It certainly pays to have a good look at things,” observed Milo as he wrapped up the telescope with great care.

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Demon of Insincerity (speaker), Tock, The Humbug, Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason, Alec Bings
Related Symbols: Gifts
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18. Castle in the Air Quotes

“but we would have been here much sooner if I hadn’t made so many mistakes. I’m afraid it’s all my fault.”

“You must never feel badly about making mistakes,” explained Reason quietly, “as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 233
Explanation and Analysis:

“And it’s much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer.”

“And remember also,” added the Princess of Sweet Rhyme, “that many places you would like to see and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you’ll reach them all, for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow.”

“I think I understand,” Milo said, still full of questions and thoughts; “but which is the most important—”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), King Azaz the Unabridged, The Mathemagician
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 234
Explanation and Analysis:

“But what about the Castle in the Air?” the bug objected, not very pleased with the arrangement.

“Let it drift away,” said Rhyme.

“And good riddance,” added Reason, for no matter how beautiful it seems, it’s still nothing but a prison.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Humbug (speaker), Princess of Pure Reason (speaker), Tock, King Azaz the Unabridged, The Mathemagician, Princess of Sweet Rhyme
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air, Time/Tock’s Alarm Clock
Page Number: 236
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19. The Return of Rhyme and Reason Quotes

“That’s why, said Azaz, “there was one very important thing about your quest that we couldn’t discuss until you returned.”

“I remember,” said Milo eagerly. “Tell me now.”

“It was impossible,” said the king, looking at the Mathemagician.

“Completely impossible,” said the Mathemagician, looking at the king.

“Do you mean—” stammered the bug, who suddenly felt a bit faint.

“Yes, indeed,” they repeated together; “but if we’d told you then, you might not have gone—and, as you’ve discovered, so many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.”

Related Characters: Milo (speaker), The Humbug (speaker), King Azaz the Unabridged (speaker), The Mathemagician (speaker), Princess of Sweet Rhyme, Princess of Pure Reason
Related Symbols: The Castle in the Air
Page Number: 247
Explanation and Analysis: