Dragons in a Bag

 “A heavy body shuffles toward the door. Mama and I wait patiently as at least three locks are turned. The chain stays on and lets the door open just a crack. I cringe as a raspy voice asks, ‘What you want?’”

Elliott builds up the anticipation in this scene by focusing on auditory imagery, such as Ma’s shuffling to the door and the sound of the locks turning. The author uses diction to show how the elderly woman intimidates Jaxon at first, such as through precise verbs and adjectives like “cringe” and “raspy.” Elliott’s decision to tell the story from the nine-year-old’s perspective helps her to highlight his emotions and create suspense.

“I sigh with relief and take Mama’s hand. Just as we start to walk down the stairs, I hear the chain slide, and the door opens once more. ‘One day. Give me your word, Alicia. One day.’ Mama says, ‘I promise, Ma.’”

The usage of repetition and italics in Ma’s dialogue emphasizes her reluctance to watch Jaxon, which is one of the main reasons why she seems forbidding to him at first. The “relief” that the boy feels when he thinks that he won’t have to stay with Ma indicates the rocky start of the characters’ relationship and makes the closeness and trust that they gain over the course of the story all the more significant. This development supports The Importance of Family and Community, which is one of the novel’s major themes.