“We must accept all that God gives us—heat, cold, hunger, satisfaction, light, and darkness.”
In this quote, Zlateh demonstrates her wisdom. She advocates for acceptance and patience: two traits that she possesses in abundance, and that Singer emphasizes as important moral values throughout the story. Indeed, in this moment, Zlateh becomes more than just a goat—she speaks as if a prophet, counseling Aaron in his time of hardship.
He had always loved Zlateh, but now she was like a sister.
Over the course of their experience in the haystack together, Aaron comes to deeply rely on Zlateh for his survival. This reliance leads to a level of trust that moves Zlateh from her position as the family goat—appreciated, but expendable in times of need—to Aaron's equal. This evolution indicates Singer's emphasis on the importance of community, interdependence, and trust.
It was all white, quiet, dreaming dreams of heavenly splendor. The stars were large and close. The moon swam in the sky as in a sea.
This is an example of Singer's stunning use of imagery, especially as it relates to the natural world. Here, the narrator describes the world after the snowstorm. The narrator imbues the beauty of the natural world with a sense of religiosity, evoking "heavenly splendor" to compare the scenes on earth to scenes in paradise.
