How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
My mother had not wanted me to take the position, not after what happened to my father. I'd never seen her so upset. I'd tried to hide how much I wanted the job, but she knew anyway. All my life I'd wanted to fly. What she didn't know was that I wanted to fly away from her too. I wanted to fly to my father, and I couldn't do that landlocked in the small apartment with its low ceilings and gray views of rainy city streets. My father had spent so little time there. It was not the place I could be near him. (4.18)
This is where we are introduced to the whole Aurora = father, airborn = happiness thing that Matt's got going on. He desperately needs to feel a connection with his dad, so he associates where his dad worked (and lived, and died) with his ability to find happiness. This is problematic in a number of ways… and don't you feel kinda bad for his mom and sisters?
Quote #5
I often thought of my father during meal times. He had once eaten at this very table, with many of these same people I now rubbed shoulders with. They'd known my father. They'd known he'd served dutifully and well aboard the Aurora. Some had been his friends. I liked being near them all. I didn't need to talk about my father with them; I just liked knowing he'd been here. (4.56)
After someone dies it can really be a comfort to surround yourself with other people who knew him or her. It lets you remember the person's presence, and you can feel at home being around other people who might miss them too. On the other hand, it can prevent you from moving on, especially if you're constantly seeking out that person who will never come back.
Quote #6
"Your parents will be worried sick." She went back to the skeleton. "Well, they'll put on a good show anyway." I stared at the back of her head, not quite sure I understood. "They'll call all the important people they know," Kate went on, "and demand updates and answers, and an extensive search." "Well, that's something," I said. (11.83)
Kate has different parental issues than Matt does. Her parents are wealthy socialites who decided long ago that they didn't have time for their strange, opinionated daughter. Although she acts like it doesn't bother her, we can see that Kate would just love to have a little acknowledgement from them every once in a while.