In the Castle of My Skin

“Nothing mattered but the showers of blessing and the eternal will of the water’s source.” 

G.’s birthday is ruined because of flooding. Though he’s upset, the villagers see the floods as God’s will. They also believe that rain on a birthday is a blessing.

“As if in serious imitation of the waters that raced outside, our lives—meaning our fears and their corresponding ideals—seemed to escape down an imaginary drain that was our future.” 

G. equates the ravishing floods outside to the tragedy and destructiveness that runs rampant in the villagers’ lives. Much of this tragedy happens later, and so this quote foreshadows things to come. The villagers are unable to stop the greater force of tragedy.

“And the answer came back louder, better organized and more communicative, so that another neighbour responded and yet another until the voices seemed to be gathered up by a single effort and the whole village shook with song on its foundation of water.” 

G.’s mother begins singing, and the village picks up the song. This highlights the communal nature of life in the village, and it also underscores its communal reaction to tragedy.