How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph.Page)
Quote #10
The work of man is done behind the back of the natural world. When nature notices, and can muster the energy, it wipes the slate clean again. (XXVII.74.264)
The rugged and forbidding landscape of the Saudi Arabian desert leads Alan to wonder why any human would even attempt living there. Alan doesn't see a benevolent Mother Nature when he looks out onto the arid land; he sees Nature "red in tooth and claw." Yeah, she's gonna get you.
It's a bleak way of thinking about our relationship with nature, but Alan can't really help it. When he sees the fragility of Yousef's home village and how precarious the villagers' way of life really is, he can hardly help himself.