Previous Next

“Oh I do enjoy keeping the boy on his toes. Please trust that I mean no harm. Quite the opposite. Some humans require this for their own good, to be challenged. I can relate. My brain is a powerful device, but it is hampered by my circumstances, and he is much the same.”

This quotation occurs during “Day 1,352 of My Captivity,” and prefaces a significant plot point during which Marcellus begins to carry out a plan to show Tova and Cameron that they are related. In explaining his need to be challenged, Marcellus directly links his situation to Cameron’s, saying that they are both intelligent creatures that have been hampered by their circumstances and require something greater to inspire their attention and help them to grow. For much of the book, it is Tova who seems most like Marcellus; to connect Cameron to the octopus as well demonstrates further his interconnectedness with Tova. By relating to both Tova and Cameron, Marcellus becomes a vessel that represents both of the human protagonists in different ways, making him the ideal character to bring Tova and Cameron together. Marcellus understands both of them in his own way, which allows Tova and Cameron to connect to each other through Marcellus.

Previous section Famous Quotes Explained Page 2 Next section Famous Quotes Explained Page 4

Take a Study Break