Big Water

Question

by Andrea Curtis

Today I feel only dread. I’m sweating again—my cheeks are flushed. I thought I would feel relieved to be back in civilization, to be rescued from certain death, but instead, seeing the town and the men rushing about on the dock, the boats and sails and horse-drawn wagons, I’m struck again by what we have just endured. I want to find Daniel, see his face, know that he remembers too, but he’s tunneled down beneath the blankets like a mole.

“Parry Sound,” Henry calls out, and I see the blankets covering Daniel begin to stir.

Along the shore, lumber is stacked in piles as high as a schooner. It looks like a pencil drawing done with a ruler—perfect, straight lines. Boats, most of them small, meant for fishing, dot the bay here and there. Some are tied up at dock; others are anchored in the water just past the river. The chimney stacks of houses and large wood-frame buildings whisper smoky murmurs into the sky.

I hear the hwah of a seagull and look up, hoping absurdly to see the bird from the other day. But there are many seagulls, all of them flying around like tugboats escorting a ship into harbor.

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Question
Use the excerpt from “Big Water” to answer the question.

It is possible to infer from this excerpt something about what Henry and Eva have done for Daniel and the narrator.

What inference can you make?

In 3 sentences, state your inference and provide strong and thorough textual evidence from the excerpt to support the inference

Answer 1

From the excerpt, it can be inferred that Henry and Eva have likely played a significant role in supporting Daniel and the narrator during a traumatic experience. The narrator expresses a sense of dread despite being back in civilization, indicating that their ordeal has caused lasting emotional distress; the mention of wanting to find Daniel and see his face suggests a deep connection and reliance on each other for comfort and reassurance. This is underscored by the image of Daniel "tunneled down beneath the blankets like a mole," implying he is retreating into himself after their shared hardship, highlighting the importance of the bond they share in processing their trauma together.