Where does the Flashback take place? (The Outsiders)

London includes a quote about john thornton as he is observing hal attempt to motivate the exhausted dogs "it was idle, he knew, to get between a fool and his folly". if the word "idle" is defined as "of no real worth, importance, or significance", what does this statement mean with regard to hal? who is the fool? what is hal's folly? why would john thornton think it of no real worth or useless to intervene?

"alice wondered a little at this,but she was too much in awe of the queen to disbelieve it".what is the effect of the author's word choice in this sentence?

What is the literal meaning of alive at the village of round and square houses by ann grifalconi