I found him, with a tiny black-rimmed hole in his left temple...
-- Grady (narration) (chapter 1)

Importance: The novel begins with Grady’s brief summary of the life of Albert Vetch, a.k.a. August Van Zorn. Vetch’s life story is full of pain and loneliness, and it ends in suicide, as referenced in the above quotation. This introductory section establishes a tone of tragedy and emotional hardship that often underlies the novel’s more lighthearted aspects. Thus, the novel can be viewed as representing the necessity of courage and perseverance in the face of fear and adversity.

I’m a man who falls in love so easily, and with such a reckless lack of consideration for the consequences of my actions, that from the very first instant of entering into a marriage I become, almost by definition, an adulterer.
-- Grady (narration) (chapter 4)

Importance: One of Grady’s most central character traits is his recklessness, impulsiveness, and relative...