Greenglass House

“Smugglers were like bugs or vegetables. They had their seasons.”

The author uses a simile to describe the regular arrival of smugglers. Just like seasonal changes affect nature, the smugglers only come to the inn when the weather is favorable. Therefore, the sudden arrival of a guest in winter surprises Milo.

“It had a sound like a gulp of frigid air.”

By personifying the bell to sound like it is breathing, the author intensifies the sound of its ringing. Personifying the bell also foreshadows the way Greenglass House will become a character in its own right. The sound is ominous to Milo because it disrupts his peace and his plans for a restful vacation.

“He didn’t mention having been a foundling. That was really none of her business.”

A foundling is a child abandoned by their parents or caregiver and discovered by someone else. Milo’s feelings about being adopted are intensified by the knowledge that he was a foundling, making the odds of him learning about his birth parents very low. This passage reveals his sensitivity to the subject.