Son

by

Lois Lowry

Lame Einar Character Analysis

Formerly Fierce Einar, Lame Einar is a young shepherd who lives up the hill from the village to be close to his sheep. Many think of him as reclusive and angry—but Claire realizes he’s shy. As they begin to form a trusting friendship that grows into a romance, Einar shares his history with Claire. His mother died in childbirth with him, and his father abused him physically, verbally, and sexually. Einar holds the distinction of being the only person to climb the cliffs out of the village—and to come back down again. This is because at the top, Einar rejected Trademaster’s trade and Trademaster cut half of both his feet off. Because of his knowledge of the cliff, Einar spends five years helping Claire train for the climb and teaching her to memorize the cliff, as he has. Though he and Claire admit they love each other, he still supports her choice to leave the village.

Lame Einar Quotes in Son

The Son quotes below are all either spoken by Lame Einar or refer to Lame Einar. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Pain and Maternal Love Theme Icon
).
Book 1, Chapter 6  Quotes

Claire was fascinated. “What did people do with ‘pets’?”

Dmitri shrugged. “Played with them, I think. And also, pets provided company for lonely people. We don’t have those now, of course.”

“Nobody’s lonely here,” Edith agreed.

Claire was quiet. She didn’t say this, but she was thinking: I am. I am lonely. Even as she thought it, though, she realized she didn’t really know what the term meant.

Related Characters: Claire (speaker), Dmitri (speaker), Edith (speaker), Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Lame Einar
Page Number: 55
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 4  Quotes

Einar was not one for talking. His failures had made him a recluse, but people remembered the vulnerable boy he had once been. Though he had stolen from his father, they forgave him that; his father had been a harsh and unjust man. That he had climbed out, many admired, for the cliff was steep and jagged and the world beyond unknown; few had the courage that Einar had had. They regretted his failure, but they welcomed his damaged return. Einar, though, had never forgiven himself; he lived in self-imposed shame and stayed mostly silent.

Related Characters: Claire, Lame Einar, Alys
Page Number: 161
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 9  Quotes

“My father was a fisherman, and he was out with the boats. It was this time of year, with the cold and the wind. He likely had a bad time of it too. But he was a hard man, my father. Strong. Used to the weather.”

He shrugged. “As I am,” he said.

“But you’re not hard, Einar.”

“Hardened to the weather, I am. I must be, for the creatures.”

She knew he meant his flock of sheep.

“I don’t feel the cold as you do,” he told her.

“You’ve always been here. You’ve learned to live with it.”

Related Characters: Claire (speaker), Lame Einar (speaker)
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 204
Explanation and Analysis:

“You must start to harden yourself. I’ll show you. It won’t be easy. You must want it.”

“I do want it,” Claire said. Her voice broke. “I want him.”

Einar paused, and thought, and then said, “It be better, I think, to climb out in search of something, instead of hating what you’re leaving.”

Related Characters: Claire (speaker), Lame Einar (speaker), Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six
Page Number: 209
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 11  Quotes

Briefly, on a day when she was exhausted, she thought of Einar with frustration, of how demanding he was, how relentlessly he made her do the exercises again and again. Then she thought of how he watched her, assessing and admiring her strength, and she knew that his gaze was also that of someone who loved her.

Related Characters: Claire, Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Lame Einar
Page Number: 225
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 10 Quotes

“Evil can do anything, Gabe,” Mentor said, “for a price.”

Related Characters: Mentor (speaker), Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Trademaster, Lame Einar
Page Number: 359
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 11 Quotes

It was dark when Gabe stood at the water’s edge, alone. He had begged Jonas to come with him. But Jonas had said no.

“Years ago, Gabe, when I took you and ran away, there was a man I loved and left behind. I wanted him to come with me but he said no.

“He was right to refuse. It was my journey and I had to do it without help. I had to find my own strengths, face my own fears. And now you must.”

Related Characters: Jonas (speaker), Claire, Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Trademaster, Lame Einar
Related Symbols: Water, The Boat and Paddle
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis:
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Lame Einar Quotes in Son

The Son quotes below are all either spoken by Lame Einar or refer to Lame Einar. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Pain and Maternal Love Theme Icon
).
Book 1, Chapter 6  Quotes

Claire was fascinated. “What did people do with ‘pets’?”

Dmitri shrugged. “Played with them, I think. And also, pets provided company for lonely people. We don’t have those now, of course.”

“Nobody’s lonely here,” Edith agreed.

Claire was quiet. She didn’t say this, but she was thinking: I am. I am lonely. Even as she thought it, though, she realized she didn’t really know what the term meant.

Related Characters: Claire (speaker), Dmitri (speaker), Edith (speaker), Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Lame Einar
Page Number: 55
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 4  Quotes

Einar was not one for talking. His failures had made him a recluse, but people remembered the vulnerable boy he had once been. Though he had stolen from his father, they forgave him that; his father had been a harsh and unjust man. That he had climbed out, many admired, for the cliff was steep and jagged and the world beyond unknown; few had the courage that Einar had had. They regretted his failure, but they welcomed his damaged return. Einar, though, had never forgiven himself; he lived in self-imposed shame and stayed mostly silent.

Related Characters: Claire, Lame Einar, Alys
Page Number: 161
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 9  Quotes

“My father was a fisherman, and he was out with the boats. It was this time of year, with the cold and the wind. He likely had a bad time of it too. But he was a hard man, my father. Strong. Used to the weather.”

He shrugged. “As I am,” he said.

“But you’re not hard, Einar.”

“Hardened to the weather, I am. I must be, for the creatures.”

She knew he meant his flock of sheep.

“I don’t feel the cold as you do,” he told her.

“You’ve always been here. You’ve learned to live with it.”

Related Characters: Claire (speaker), Lame Einar (speaker)
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 204
Explanation and Analysis:

“You must start to harden yourself. I’ll show you. It won’t be easy. You must want it.”

“I do want it,” Claire said. Her voice broke. “I want him.”

Einar paused, and thought, and then said, “It be better, I think, to climb out in search of something, instead of hating what you’re leaving.”

Related Characters: Claire (speaker), Lame Einar (speaker), Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six
Page Number: 209
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 11  Quotes

Briefly, on a day when she was exhausted, she thought of Einar with frustration, of how demanding he was, how relentlessly he made her do the exercises again and again. Then she thought of how he watched her, assessing and admiring her strength, and she knew that his gaze was also that of someone who loved her.

Related Characters: Claire, Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Lame Einar
Page Number: 225
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 10 Quotes

“Evil can do anything, Gabe,” Mentor said, “for a price.”

Related Characters: Mentor (speaker), Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Trademaster, Lame Einar
Page Number: 359
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 11 Quotes

It was dark when Gabe stood at the water’s edge, alone. He had begged Jonas to come with him. But Jonas had said no.

“Years ago, Gabe, when I took you and ran away, there was a man I loved and left behind. I wanted him to come with me but he said no.

“He was right to refuse. It was my journey and I had to do it without help. I had to find my own strengths, face my own fears. And now you must.”

Related Characters: Jonas (speaker), Claire, Gabe/Abe/Thirty-Six, Trademaster, Lame Einar
Related Symbols: Water, The Boat and Paddle
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis: