Tommy looked blank. What's a flashlight?You don't have flashlights? Jessup said. Jeeze! A cylinder, like, with batteries inside it, and a light bulb behind glass at one end--Tommy's blue eyes glinted dangerously. We have a thing in Scotland that's a cylinder too. Very thin, made of wood, with graphite in the center. We call it a pencil.Jessup hooted. You think we don't have pencils?You think we don't have flashlights? Tommy snapped. That's just American dialect. In the English language they're called torches.Emily said mildly, Actually we're Canadians.
In a humorous exchange, Tommy expresses confusion over Jessup's reference to a flashlight, revealing a cultural misunderstanding. Jessup is surprised that Tommy is unfamiliar with flashlights, explaining them as simple devices containing batteries and a bulb. However, Tommy retorts by highlighting a similar object found in Scotland—a pencil—demonstrating the differences in terminology across regions.
Jessup laughs off Tommy's assertion about pencils but is met with Tommy's irritation as he defends the term "torch" for what Jessup calls a flashlight. Emily interjects to clarify their Canadian identity, indicating that the conversation reflects broader differences in English dialects. This interaction emphasizes how language can create both confusion and humor among speakers from different backgrounds.