The Eyes of the Dragon Pages 221-248 August 7

In this section we learn of the brilliant plan that Peter has incorporated his napkins and dollhouse into. We see sheer brilliance in the fact that Peter uses the working dollhouse to weave together a rope from the napkins that he slowly pulls apart piece by piece. From this small rope Peter will hopefully escape the 300 foot high tower. In making this rope Peter remembers something that Yosef said about oxen pulling heavy bricks. Yosef said that the oxen has to use a harness because the ropes used to pull bricks have only a certain amount until they break. Not only was Yosef telling Peter factual information but he was also giving him a life lesson. On page 229 Yosef states that breaking strain "is a good thing for a Prince to know about, Peter. Chains break if you put on enough of a tug, and people do, too..." Yosef at the time was teaching the young prince that if you push people too far they will go off the edge. The breaking strain now becomes a symbol of the constant struggle Peter must keep in order to "make it work" with out pushing too far. In this case it is not only the breaking strain of the rope, but his own breaking strain. He must take it slow and not overwhelm himself, for even he might go over the edge. We also see a little bit of deja vu when Peter discover a locket that has a picture of a woman and note describing the set up of a man murdering his wife by Flagg. Peter has seen that Flagg has done this before and this revenge for this lost soul seems to be even more of a motivation for Peter to succeed.