The Hunchback In The Park : Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

1. Quote: “The hunchback in the park / A solitary mister / Propped between trees and water.”
   Speaker: The Poet (Narrator)
   Stanza: 1
   Explanation: The poet introduces the hunchback as a lonely man who spends his days alone in the park. “Solitary mister” shows his isolation from the world — a symbol of human loneliness and neglect.
2. Quote: “Eating bread from a newspaper / Drinking water from the chained cup.”
   Speaker: The Poet
   Stanza: 2
   Explanation: These lines show the hunchback’s poor and pitiful life. He eats simple food and drinks water like a beggar. The “chained cup” represents his limited freedom and the hardships of poverty.
3. Quote: “The truant boys from the town / Running when he had heard them clearly.”
   Speaker: The Poet
   Stanza: 3
   Explanation: The boys tease the hunchback and run away laughing. This shows the cruelty and carelessness of children who do not understand his pain.
4. Quote: “Made all day until bell time / A woman figure without fault / Straight as a young elm.”
   Speaker: The Poet
   Stanza: 6
   Explanation: The hunchback imagines a perfect woman — beautiful, kind, and straight like a tree — to escape his sad reality. It shows his longing for love and beauty that he can never have.
5. Quote: “And the wild boys innocent as strawberries / Had followed the hunchback / To his kennel in the dark.”
   Speaker: The Poet
   Stanza: 7
   Explanation: At night, the hunchback goes back to his lonely shelter — the dog kennel. The boys, though called “innocent,” still disturb him. This ending shows his endless loneliness and society’s lack of compassion.