He had proved to himself that he was not afraid. They only came when you were afraid.”
-- Narrator (chapter 1 paragraph 7)

Importance: The quote demonstrates how Harper works to manage his fear to cope with the stress of his job.

Despite how long it had been, he felt empty of lust at that moment.
-- Narrator (chapter 2 paragraph 43)

Importance: The quote shows how disconnected Harper is from the world. He is with Rita, but the weight of dealing with his job distracts him from experiencing pleasure.

A shadow crossed his thoughts then, as he remembered what the rice fields were like at night.
-- Narrator (chapter 3 paragraph 86)

Importance: The quote illustrates how the memory of what happened during a particular night in the rice field is fighting Harper’s suppression of remembering that night.

Making up memories from the seeds of his mother’s stories was, after all, a lot more interesting than actually having them.
-- Narrator (chapter 5 paragraph 5)

Importance: The quote shows how Harper is prone to embellishment...