Tress of the Emerald Sea

“She’d sip salty tea from a cup with horses painted on it, and she’d think, There’s a beauty to this, actually. I like it here. And I believe I shall be fine to remain here all my life.”

This moment foreshadows Tress’s reluctant adventure and eventual acceptance of a life of freedom and adventure. Tress is content with her life, but she has no experience outside of the Rock to compare to her own. Not long after this thought, she experiences her call to action to save Charlie.

“The cups they brought her were often battered and worn, but Tress didn’t mind. A cup with a chip or ding in it had a story. She loved them all because they brought the world to her. Whenever she sipped from one of the cups, she imagined she could taste far-off foods and drinks, and perhaps understand a little of the people who had crafted them.”

This is one of the earliest moments revealing Tress’s hidden (even to her) desire to see the world. She believes she is content, but she is fascinated by cups and stories from around the world. Her story-based adventures through the cups foreshadow her real adventures.

“The thing growing between them felt so good, so wonderful, that Tress was frightened to call it love. From the way the other youths talked, ‘love’ was dangerous. Their love seemed to be about jealousy and insecurity. It was about passionate shouting matches and more passionate reconciliations. It was less like a good pair of gloves, and more like a hot coal that would burn your hands.”

Even Tress’s love reveals how different she is from others. Tress is in love, but she is not experiencing dangerous infatuation; she is experiencing the comfort and safety of real love.