*Image Study #2*

Nutbeem's Boat

In Chapter 32, The Hairy Devil, Nutbeem has a going away party at his house to celebrate his upcoming trip to the Caribbean. But, during the party, many people got drunk and got the idea to sink Nutbeem's boat. "In ten minutes Nutbeem's boat was underwater, nothing showing but the roof of the cabin, like a waterlogged raft" (257). Since he was planning on traveling on his boat, he was now stuck in Newfoundland with no way to get to the Caribbean. This is significant because Newfoundland seems like a trap; many people want to leave, but they usually aren't able to. Nutbeem is stuck in this situation, as now he can't travel to the warm and sunny Caribbean, and he can't escape his life in the cold and miserable Newfoundland.

White Dog with Red Eyes

At many different times in the book, Bunny describes seeing a white dog with red eyes. Quoyle and Aunt Agnis don't believe her, though, because they have never seen it or any tracks, so they assume she is just imagining things. Her sightings began once they arrived at the old Quoyle house, and the dog always made her really scared. As Bunny keeps seeing the dog, Quoyle begins to wonder whether there is something wrong with her, and he contemplates having her see a psychologist. The dog is significant because if it isn't real, it shows that Bunny has issues, which probably have something to do with the loss of her mother, or that she is having a difficult time adjusting to her new environment.

Quoyle Cemetery

On a trip with Billy Pretty to Gaze Island, Quoyle discovers a remote cemetery where many other Quoyles are buried. Billy informs him that it is the cemetery of the Quoyles and he tells him some information about the history of his relatives. He says, "They were wrackers they say, come to Gaze Island centuries ago and made it their evil lair. Pirate men and women that lured ships onto the rocks" (171). Quoyle is surprised to learn this, as he doesn't really have any knowledge of any of his family's past. What makes the Quoyle cemetery significant is that it shows us how his family was viewed in society because they were very isolated. The cemetery and the information that Quoyle helps him to understand where he comes from and how his life is so different from theirs.


Quoyle's New Boat

When Quoyle first arrived in Newfoundland, everyone told him that he needed a boat to get from place to place. But, when he finally gave in and got one, it ended up being a bad choice. He bought an old boat from a man for a very cheap price, thinking it was a good idea, but he was proved wrong. While sailing in the ocean during a storm, the boat sinks, and Quoyle almost drowns. With the advice from Billy, Quoyle asks Alvin Yark, the best boatmaker in town, to build him a new boat. Yark explains to Quoyle what goes into making a good, strong boat, which includes using the right kind of wood. This image of the boat is important because it symbolizes Quoyle's life in a way: He started off with an old, weak boat, and he is getting a newer, stronger boat. When he first moved to Newfoundland, he was a very weak person, but while he has been there, he has started a new life, and is trying to erase his past, so that he will be a better and stronger person.