I don’t know whether it was under the influence of illness or of a beginning change in worldview, which I hadn’t noticed then, but day after day I was overcome by a passionate, nagging thirst for ordinary, humdrum life… And when I stood by the door and watched Orlov drinking coffee, I felt I was not a servant but a man to whom everything in the world was interesting, even Orlov.
-- Stepan (chapter 1)

Importance: This quote helps explain part of Stepan’s motivations for posing as a servant in Orlov’s household. His rapidly approaching death makes him cling to normality as a means of holding onto life. Stepan’s illness and consequent change in worldview calls into question his reliability as a narrator.

If they talked about religion—irony; if about philosophy and the meaning and aims of life—irony; if anyone raised the question of the people—irony. In...
-- Stepan (chapter 3)