Summary Of The Novel The Quarter-Pie Window

1. The book, The Quarter-Pie Window was written by Marianne Brandis, and is about a young girl, Emma, and her little brother, John, who just lost their family in a fire at their old barn and now must live with their newly found aunt, Mrs. McPhail, in the city. Emma has to work for her aunt at her hotel as a chamber maid, while John has to work for Mr. Blackwood at his ranch as a stable boy. Emma was expecting to work at a much higher position at the hotel but is madden by the fact that she is nothing but a lowly servant in the hotel. As Emma goes through her grim new looking life she becomes close to the Heatheringtons. A family that is staying at the hotel. Emma soon finds out that the Heatheringtons are being tricked by Mr. Blackwood and …show more content…
The time period in which the novel, The Quarter-Pie Window, takes place in is 1830’s Canada, and during this time period women where slowly starting to get educated, and the only way to communicate with someone how lived far away was through letters. Boys of rich families were usual the only ones to get an education, but during this time period rich girls from rich families were starting to get education too because people started to realize that women should have and education. In the story Mrs. Morgan, a guest in the hotel, was starting her own all-girls school. One day when Emma was running and errand for the hotel and she runs into Mrs. Morgan while she was reading a book on display in one of the shops. Mrs. Morgan caught Emma off guard and started to talking to Emma about girls education because Emma could read and told Emma, “That education for girls is very important. They are, after all the mothers of the next generation” (Brandis page 89). This quote shows that people are started to realize that women need education to not only boys. That the people in Canada are coming to realized that to better themselves as whole they need to better everyone. Also during this time period, the only way to communicate with someone that lived far way would be through letters. Near the end of the novel the Heatheringtons give Emma a parting gift, as a way to say than you to Emma. They gave her a few sheets of paper, ink, and a quill. Emma was ecstatic to receive such a gift because Emma could never afford to buy such luxury’s herself. As Mrs. Heatherington give these gifts to Emma she tells her, “Our real reason for wanting to see you is that we have a little gift to you- a keepsake to remember us by and something that we hope will ensure that we will stay in touch with you” (Brandis page 199). This quote shows that the only way to communicate with someone that does not live around you is through letters. That this is no other way to ensure you can keep contact with