I Capture the Castle (1949) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Cassandra Mortmain: Protagonist, the younger daughter and the story's narrator, has literary ambitions and spends a lot of time developing her writing talent by "capturing" everything around her in her journal.
• Rose Mortmain: Older sister. Quite the classic English beauty.
• Mr. Mortmain: Reclusive author.
• Topaz: Mr. Mortmain's second wife. Former model. Fan of eccentric dress.
• Simon Cotton: American and brother of Neil Cotton. Becomes the Mortmains' neighbor.
• Neil Cotton: American and brother of Simon Cotton, who, along with his brother, becomes neighbor to the Mortmain's. He prefers the United States.
• Stephen: Lives with the family and has a "thing" for Cassandra. Very handsome and romantic.
• Thomas Mortmain: Younger brother of Cassandra and Rose
• Miss Marcy: Librarian and a friend of the Mortmains.

Quotes edit see section history

• “Time takes the ugliness and horror out of death and turns it into beauty.”

• “Watching sleeping people makes one feel more seperate than ever from them.”

  Cassandra Mortmain

• “Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing.”

  Cassandra Mortmain

• “Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression.”

  Cassandra Mortmain

• “Oh, I'd love the clothes and the wedding. I am not so sure I should like the facts of life, but I have got over the bitter disappointment I felt when I first heard about them, and one obviously has to try them sooner or later.”

  Cassandra Mortmain

• “I know all about the facts of life. And I don't think much about them.”

  Cassandra

• “What IS it about the English countryside - why is the beauty so much more than visual? Why does it TOUCH one so?”

  Simon

• “The whiffs are few and far between "But the memory of them is everlasting."”

  the vicar

• “Sacrifice is the secret - you have to sacrifice things for art and it's the same with religion; and then the sacrifice turns out to be a gain.”

• “You lose yourself in something beyond yourself and it's a lovely rest.”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• England
• London
• America
• Scoatney Hall
• California
• Belmotte
• New York

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Family relationships: Between siblings and parents.
• Love and Romance: There are many relationships, some barely beginning, some with years of marriage, others not quite romantic.
• Adolescence: The main character experiences all of the scenes in the book through her adolescence, and it is as an adolescent that she deals with her challenges.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Dodie Smith (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• BBC's Big Read (April 2003, #82)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 823.912

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Add a note to help parents select a book for a child.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › British › 20th Century
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Historical
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Classics
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Classics
• Books › Romance

Movie Connections edit see section history

• I Capture the Castle (2003) (IMDb)

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history