Skip to content

in the high, old tottering voice that seemed to have been…

“in the high, old tottering voice that seemed to have been tuned and broken at the capstan bars. Then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick like a handspike that he carried, and when my father appeared, called roughly for a glass of rum. This, when it was brought to him, he drank slowly, like a…” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson
Download Open image
““in the high, old tottering voice that seemed to have been tuned and broken at the capstan bars. Then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick like a handspike that he carried, and when my father appeared, called roughly for a glass of rum. This, when it was brought to him, he drank slowly, like a connoisseur, lingering on the taste and still looking about him at the cliffs and up at our signboard.””

Robert Louis Stevenson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A vivid scene shows a rough, sea‑torn voice, a makeshift weapon, and a father drinking rum slowly, reflecting gritty realism and lingering contemplation.

In simple terms: A gritty, detailed scene with a father drinking rum.

Key Takeaway

Notice the atmosphere and character details.

Themes

adventure realism character

Mood

dramatic reflective

Type

literary descriptive

When to use this quote

  • reading
  • creative writing
  • film adaptation
  • role‑play
  • historical reenactment

Key Concepts

narrative detail sensory description

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the father's behavior reveal about his character?
  • How does the setting influence the mood?
A Different Perspective

The archaic language may be hard for modern readers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Robert Louis Stevenson

Explore all 701 Robert Louis Stevenson quotes

More Parenting quotes

Browse all 55,672 Parenting quotes