“Sharper than hunger and fear, the memory of the blue dress pricked her. At the thought of its lovely folds crumpled in that hateful boy’s hands, the tears flooded her eyes […] [S]he wept for a flowered dress she would never wear again.”

This quote illustrates the importance of clothing and dresses in Calico Captive, which symbolize identity and transformation. In this quote, the transformation is from Miriam’s old life to a life of a captive.

“Curiously enough, the Indians had accepted the fact that Polly, unlike the cowed Sue, was docile only so long as she was in sight of her mother. The moment the trees hid her from that familiar figure hunched on the back of old Scoggins, no threat could subdue her wails. The Indians had shown surprising patience with this behavior, and the brave who carried Polly waited stolidly in the trail whenever Susanna was forced to rest.”

This quote illustrates the theme of Cultural Clashes and Assimilation. While Miriam expects the Abenaki warriors to be cruel based on stories she’s been told, her lived experience shows they are much kinder than she expects. It also shows the differing ways the Johnson children react to other cultures. Polly refuses to assimilate while Sylvanus embraces Abenaki customs.

“Miriam was long past caring that the precious dress was bleached and torn to a shapeless rag when at last the party reached the village of St. Francis.”

This quote explores the theme of Survival and Resilience. Miriam’s hardships have shifted her priorities away from caring about the dress she loved so dearly. Now, she is focused on surviving the journey rather than thinking about the past.