This was the year she would finish the book she'd been writing for so long.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The third-person narrator's assertion about Jane's novel establishes Nusu Nusu as one of the primary narrative stakes. Jane has been working on the novel for nearly a decade, but is determined to finish it at long last. Her devotion to the project conveys how much is resting on it. If she publishes the manuscript, she could get tenure, make more money, and eventually afford a house for her family. The prospective completion of the novel creates narrative tension and urgency.

Anybody with a theory, you're right there in the front row, taking notes.
-- Lenny (chapter 2)

Importance: Jane recalls Lenny criticizing her gullibility while reflecting on her relationship with her psychic Wesley Brown. Jane admits that she at times buys into other people's theories without skepticism. This is a key facet of how she experiences the world, and provides...