How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The clean word for them was zombies. Whatever they were called, Matt thought they deserved pity, not hatred. (27.140)
In Aztlán, people use different names for all sorts of things, including the descriptive word "zombie" for the eejit slaves. The use of the word zombie is revealing: these boys see eejits (many of whom were once their relatives, we might add) as the walking undead. Eejits aren't just sad – they're scary.
Quote #8
"All our parents are crots." A flurry of voices rose telling Ton-Ton to shut up. "Our mamas and papas aren't b-bad, just unlucky," the boy went on in his relentless way, "and M-Matt isn't bad either!" (32.61)
Good for you, Ton-Ton. He knows what's up. It's not the eejit's fault that they're eejits, and it's not Matt's fault that he's a clone. They just don't have any say in the matter.
Quote #9
"Are you saying - ?" the Keeper stopped, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you suggesting we turn the horse into a zombie?"
"I don't see much difference between that and sawing off the extra leg," said Matt. (27.125-26)
Matt recognizes that there are a lot of different forms of slavery and that the Keepers are enslaving the Lost Boys just as El Patrón enslaves the eejits, no matter what they tell themselves.