# Change of Abode explained — The Swiss Family Robinson

> Chapter companion for The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss.

## What happens

The family bids farewell to their first shelter and embarks on a journey to a new home inland. They load their animals with supplies, cross the bridge, and encounter a porcupine which Jack kills with a pistol. They discover fig trees, test the fruit with the monkey, and prepare a meal from the porcupine. The father begins making packing-needles from the porcupine quills and plans a ladder to inhabit a tall fig tree.

## Themes in this chapter

### Resourcefulness and Industry

The father makes packing-needles from porcupine quills and plans a ladder for the tree, demonstrating practical ingenuity.

### Family and Paternal Authority

The father assembles the family, gives warnings about safety, and leads the migration, reinforcing his role as the head.

## Character check-ins

### Father

Leads the family, makes decisions, and constructs packing-needles from porcupine quills.

### Mother

Insists on bringing the fowls and the enchanted bag, prepares the meal, and refuses to eat porcupine.

### Fritz

Shows jealousy after Jack kills the porcupine; helps carry skins to the stream.

### Jack

Kills the porcupine with a pistol, showing bravery and skill; later helps with skins.

### Ernest

Draws back timidly when the dogs bark at the porcupine.

### Francis

Rides the ass with the enchanted bag; offers a fig to the monkey.

## Key lines

> I confess that for my own part I could not leave it without much regret; it was a place of greater safety than we were likely again to meet with; it was also nearer to the vessel: but it was sufficient for me to know that the kind and faithful companion of my misfortunes had conceived an unalterable distaste for it, to incline me to yield my own opinion and my wishes.

The father admits he is sad to leave the safe, ship-adjacent camp, but defers to his wife's strong dislike of the place.

_Highlights the father's deference to his wife's feelings and the theme of family unity._

> Jack determined on an attack, which succeeded marvellously well. He took one of the pistols which he carried in his belt, and aimed it so exactly at the head of the porcupine, that he fell dead the instant he fired, and before we had a notion of what he was about.

Jack bravely and accurately shoots the porcupine dead with his pistol, surprising everyone.

_Demonstrates Jack's courage and marksmanship, a key character moment._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_swiss_family_robinson_se/chapters/part-i-ix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_swiss_family_robinson_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_swiss_family_robinson_se/chapters