Content Warning: The source material contains descriptions of child neglect, abuse, trauma, and child death.

“Finally there came the pages Georgie loved most, those glowing with roses, thousands of them, bushels and tons of roses so beautiful that he ached to be among them, maybe to whisper to them if there was no one around to make fun of a boy who loved flowers.”

Georgie uses the flower book to escape from his reality. He feels at peace when he looks at the pictures, and it provides him with temporary relief from the fear and anxiety that plague his life.

“He was scarred by a deep burn on the left side of his head which left him partly bald, with a crumpled ear and a streak that looked like fire running down the back of his neck.”

The vivid language in this passage exposes the reality of Georgie’s trauma. The abuse he has experienced has left him emotionally and physically scarred. Using a simile to compare the scar to fire illuminates the pain Georgie carries and The Effects of Abuse and Trauma on a Child.

“He closed his eyes and drew his dream close about him, burrowing into it as he burrowed under the sheet on his bed at night to find a feeling of safety and peace.”

Georgie’s bed is one of the only places he feels safe. After receiving the lottery ticket, the dream of winning the prize becomes a new comfort for him. The passage compares the dream to a warm blanket covering and calming him.