How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
In this new life there was no leisure. If everybody worked as hard as he could until sundown every day, then everybody could eat, although not well. (8.44)
Don't think that this place is like the hippie communes of yore, full of free love, copious chill sessions, and a shocking number of love triangles. This community exists only to survive. That doesn't mean that everyone doesn't share a close, personal bond with one another, but only that it's a different sort of relationship.
Quote #8
Many things had happened in the past few days and yet their conversation always come back to the Easter services. People hadn't been like that before The Day. (10.150)
Now that everyone is isolated, forced to struggle to survive, it becomes a joyous thing to gather as a community no matter the occasion. Randy isn't even a religious guy and he's singing to high heavens as soon as he stumbles across a notice announcing the service.
Quote #9
[Randy] wondered at this change in people and concluded that man was a naturally gregarious creature and they were all starved for companionship and the sight of new faces. (10.150)
This is the big realization Randy makes about humanity over the course of the novel: we just like being with each other. We know—that's a little hard to believe in a world dominated by smartphones. Not a lot of companionship going down in Candy Crush. Even in this era of isolation, however, people still tend to gather together in times of need.