I'm trying to argue my side.
-- Lacy Crawford (chapter 1)

Importance: After recounting the night of her assault at the start of Chapter 1, Crawford describes the monied culture of life at St. Paul's School. She asserts that by including these details, she is not merely attempting to create a rich setting. Rather, she is illustrating what she believed she would lose if she were to have reported the boys immediately afterwards. The line also speaks to Crawford's larger initiative in writing Notes on a Silencing.

It's about the trap of mortality.
-- Alicia Crawford (chapter 2)

Importance: The summer after eighth grade, Crawford experienced a deep bout of depression. When she confronted her mother about her feelings, Alicia suggested they were archetypal, not unlike the existential crises depicted in the text "No Exit." While Crawford did not fully understand her feelings, nor had she read the piece her mother referenced, Alicia's words illuminated her experience. The line also addresses Crawford's feelings...