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The Attic / Boxes in the Attic
As part of her American history class, Molly Ayer learns about the Wabanaki Indian custom of “portaging.” “Portaging” literally refers to carrying a canoe or boat and all its contents from one body of water to another, and in the book, this usually means carrying everything one owns to get to a new home. Like Molly and Vivian/Niamh, the people of the Wabanaki Confederation (of which the Penobscot Nation was part) had to “carry their homes on their backs” whenever they had to migrate. As Mr. Reed, Molly’s history teacher explains, “portaging” then partly refers to the process of choosing what to take and what to leave behind as one makes the journey forward in life. Within the context of the novel, “portaging” symbolizes the life journeys of Molly and Vivian and the balance they must both toggle between letting go of the past and holding onto important memories and connections.
Portaging Quotes in Orphan Train
The Orphan Train quotes below all refer to the symbol of Portaging. 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:
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Chapter 20
Quotes
Maybe it’ll be a stretch to find drama in Vivian’s portage – a happy, stable life does not an interesting story make, right? But even the rich have their problems, or so Molly’s heard. It will be her task to extract them.
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Chapter 21
Quotes
“Well,” Molly says, “I think the boat represents what you take with you – the essential things – from place to place. And the water – well, I think it’s the place you’re always trying to get to.”
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Get the entire Orphan Train LitChart as a printable PDF.
Portaging Symbol Timeline in Orphan Train
The timeline below shows where the symbol Portaging appears in Orphan Train. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 20: Spruce Harbor, Maine, 2011
...they had to carry only what they needed. The class is assigned a project on “portaging” for which they need to interview an older relative or neighbor about their “literal and...
(full context)
Chapter 21: Spruce Harbor, Maine, 2011
...in the living room. Molly begins describing her school project. She explains the concept of “portaging,” saying that it involves choosing what to leave and what to bring as one moves...
(full context)
Chapter 26: Spruce Harbor, Maine, 2011
...tea (which disappoints Molly) because she’s old and “could drop dead any minute.” As Molly’s “portaging” project has progressed, Vivian has gone from being timid to forthcoming about her past. Vivian...
(full context)
...more time with Vivian and less time with Jack. She hasn’t told Jack about the portaging project because she’s afraid he’ll think she’s “asking too much” of Vivian. Over lunch, Jack...
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Chapter 33: Spruce Harbor, Maine
...She gets out at the stop near Vivian’s and lumbers uphill. She thinks of her portaging project and imagines herself as a Penobscot Indian journeying with all her possessions. She wears...
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Chapter 39: Spruce Harbor, Maine, 2011
...from Mr. Reed, stating that he’s nominating her for a national history prize for her portaging project. Lori tells Molly she’s proud of her. Molly responds by joking that she’s just...
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