They were on a day trip, a nothing, the four of them in a hot car speeding north. All the passing and now-passed road looked faint through the filthy windows, which threw full light onto their laps. It was ten A.M., any promise of an early start already squandered, and look, peach weather.
-- Narrator (chapter 1 paragraph 1)

Importance: This quote is the opening line of the entire novel. It sets the scene for how the novel will proceed and gives the reader insight into the setting. The author begins by establishing the location; "a hot car speeding north". The utilization of a temperature quantifier of "hot" immediately implies tension exists in both the physical world and the emotional connection harbored between the four characters. In addition, though the author signifies the direction as "north" he adds nothing more, successfully creating a sense of ambiguity and loss as no-one quite knows where these four characters...