Child of the Dark

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Important Quotes Explained

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Quotes Important Quotes Explained

If the Brother saw his children eating rotten food already attacked by vultures and rats, he would stop talking about resignation and rebel, because rebellion comes from bitterness.

In her entry from July 8, 1958, Carolina chides the Brother of the local Catholic church for being inattentive to the needs of the poor. When factory owners have spoiling food to dispose of, they often dump it near the favela, which incenses Carolina. The local church does help the favelados through visits and food donations, but when Carolina looks at the larger picture, she doubts whether the Church’s intervention makes much difference. This thread points to her larger mistrust of the Church and even seems to imply that the Church may be lulling the favelados into a state of denial. In this quote, Carolina also signals her growing political consciousness, though she stops short of advocating a specific plan. Still, the question looms: when will the favelados be ready to rebel? Carolina is aware of talk on the streets, and in taking the Brother to task in this passage, she bemoans the lack of real leadership in the favela. She suggests that the favelados need figures who are in touch with their real struggles and who are willing to move past the easy platitudes and effect change.