Esio Trot

Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Silver demonstrate love in different ways. Mrs. Silver is demonstrative with Alfie. Every time that Mr. Hoppy looks down at her, he sees Mrs. Silver doting on the tortoise. Mrs. Silver lavishes love and affection on Alfie the way that Mr. Hoppy dotes on his flowers. However, his flowers require only food, water, and light to survive. Mr. Hoppy does not have to interact with them, and they expect nothing from him.

Mrs. Silver’s affection is obvious. She—at least in Mr. Hoppy’s mind—focuses on Alfie’s needs at all times. If she isn’t worrying that he isn’t growing, she is building a winter home for him. When he finishes his hibernation, she exclaims so loudly upon seeing him emerge that Mr. Hoppy can hear it. She is concerned that Alfie is miserable because of his size and wants to protect him from the jealousy the giant tortoises might cause him.

When Mrs. Silver promises that she will be “[his] slave for life,” Mr. Hoppy feels “a little shiver of excitement” (21). He does not want to enslave anyone, but he does want to be less lonely.