Comparison - Girl in a Cage

Although Girl in a Cage is just a novel by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris, it is similar to the actual Middle Ages history. First, Marjorie de Brus, the book’s main character, is a real person who lived during the time of the Wars of Scottish Independence in opposition to King Edward I of England. In addition, her stepmother was Elizabeth de Burgh in both history and in the story, who later became the queen of Scotland. After King Edward I died, his son, Edward II, succeeded him, which is what happened in the story too. On the other hand, there is one major difference between the book and real history. Although Marjorie was taken captive during this time, she was not put into a cage. She and some other captives were imprisoned in convents instead. Edward had thought of putting Marjorie in a cage, but changed his mind. Girl in a Cage is a fictional story, but it is closely related to an important historical event.

Important Passage - Girl in a Cage

In Girl in a Cage, by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris, there was one passage about the main character, Marjorie Bruce, that especially caught my attention.

"All night long I listened to thier snores and coughs, thier hawkings and fats. All night long the ropes chafed at my skin. And all night long a cold wind puzzled through the trees, catching me about the ears. I was afraid to wake the soldiers with my plaints lest that make things worse, though I doubted anything could be worse." (pg. 9)

This passage appealed to me since it gives a vivid description of what Marjorie is going throught while inside a straw wagon while she is being held captive. It shows you what she hears, feels, and what she thinks about being in the wagon. It gives you a deep feeling and an understanding of what the main character has to undergo. It also gives me a better knowledge of what life was like in Medieval Europe if you rebelled against the king. In addition, this passage describes the surroundings of the area in which Marjorie is being held captive. In general, it depicts an important scene with wonderful imagery about Marjorie's trip to her cage.