I scanned for doubts regarding things he had done or left undone; things he might have said but had not; mistakes to which he had not yet fully admitted, any of which might keep him from attaining that state of total peace so to be desired at this juncture. And found nothing, or nearly nothing.
-- Narration (N/A)

Importance: This quote highlights Boone’s resistance to guilt or self-reflection, making Jill’s task of offering comfort morally complex. It underscores the novel’s exploration of accountability, showing how the absence of acknowledgment can complicate forgiveness and the idea of achieving “total peace.”

Rather than comforting him, he said, I advise you to lead him, as quickly as possible, to contrition, shame, and self- loathing. Well, thanks for the advice, I said. Or do nothing, he said. Simply leave. Any comfort you give will only serve to confirm him in his current state of delusion...
-- The Frenchman and Jill (N/A)