"She couldn't have flown that a year ago. A year ago she had problems finding her hairbrush."
This quote illustrates how much Ellie has grown up from the beginning of the novel. The experiences and challenges she has faced since the beginning of the novel have shaped her into a stronger person. Throughout the text we see Ellie facing her fears and doing things she never thought she would do, and this quote illustrates this theme perfectly.
"Behind The Wall was her family. Behind The Wall was the south coast of England and home."
Here, Ellie is so close to seeing her family after being abducted. She has some apprehension about returning home, as she doesn’t know how they will react, and she is also worried about whether she will get to her family safely. Even though she is close by there are still some obstacles she must face.
"It's only the rich who'll live on the second level in the fairy place, Ellie. The poor people like us will be left in the darkness below"
Ellie remembers watching the television when she was younger, and seeing the announcement that the government would be building a second layer on top of London in order to make space for everyone. Ellie is excited about this, however her mother replies that it will not be good for them, as they will be on the lower floor, blocked from the light. Here we see the corruption and class issues that exist in this society. The "darkness" represents the oppression and mistreatment of poorer people in this society.
