How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"What we're doing," she spoke quickly, "is we're putting together an oral history of Gutshot, for future generations. I've been pulling people off the line to do interviews for a couple of weeks, but I ain't gotta now that you're here. Anyway, the downfall of this whole operation so far has been gossip—everybody chattering 'bout what everyone else says or doesn't say. But y'all don't have a reason in the world to talk about whether or not Ellie Mae liked her husband when she married him in 1937. So—it's you two." (8.30)
As Hollis tells the boys about her project, we learn that it's not just Colin who's interested in memories—Hollis wants to preserve the collective memory of the town for future generations. All this gets Shmoop to thinking: is there a difference between what Hollis is trying to do (catalog memories) and what Colin does (remember the Katherines)?
Quote #5
"You and me will read a book and find like three interesting things that we remember. But Colin finds everything intriguing. He reads a book about presidents and he remembers more of it because everything he reads clicks in his head as fugging interesting. Honestly, I've seen him do it with the phone book. He'll be like, 'Oh, there are twenty-four listings for Tischler. How fascinating.'" (9.89)
Thanks to Hassan here, we get a look at how Colin's brain works: his memories are so important to him because it's part of what he does and who he is. He likes to read and remember, and then read some more. We all have a favorite memory, but Colin tries to remember everything.
Quote #6
Do you ever wonder whether people would like you more or less if they could see inside you? I mean, I've always felt like the Katherines dump me right when they start to see what I look like from the inside—well, except K-19. But I always wonder about that. If people could see me the way I see myself—if they could live in my memories—would anyone, anyone, love me? (14.52)
If they've got a ticket to someone's memories, we're in. It's such an amazing and weird way to think about what we know about each other. There's the past that we tell people and then there's our memory of it, and sometimes those two things just don't line up.