The House of the Scorpion Compassion and Forgiveness Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

What Matt hated about the creature was everyone's assumption that he and Furball were the same. It didn't matter that Matt had excellent grades and good manners. They were both animals and thus unimportant. (9.6)

Matt misplaces his resentment for being treated like an animal on Furball, because he's the only animal around. Of course this isn't fair to the dog, but you might think of it as form of self-preservation. Matt is angry, and it might be better that he take it out on the dog, rather than the powerful Alacráns, who are the real problem.

Quote #8

I'm different. I wasn't created to provide spare parts.

El Patrón had refused to let the doctors destroy Matt's brain. He'd protected him and given him Celia and Tam Lin for company. (19.49-50)

El Patrón has fooled Matt into thinking he's special, when he's really no different from all the clones before. Matt thinks El Patrón is compassionate and loving, when really he's the worst of all the Alacráns.

Quote #9

Celia immediately knelt down and put her arms around him. "Don't cry, mi vida. I love you more than anything in the world. I'll explain things to you when you're older." (1.7)

What would we do without Celia? She's really a mother to Matt, no matter what she says, and we're pretty sure her loving care is what helps Matt to become such a compassionate person as he grows up.