How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I was young and I only wanted to think about the living. (24.13)
Although Jack starts to come to terms with death over the course of the novel, he gets off to a bad start—the minute he's in the presence of a dead body, his nose starts to bleed. It's not like this is an irrational fear or anything, but we still get the sense that learning to accept all parts of life—and not just the, you know, living parts—is key to growing up.
Quote #8
[Y]ou don't have to do what your parents want or what your boyfriend wants for you to be happy. You just have to be yourself, for there is no love greater than self-love. (26.48)
Jack is so worried about disappointing people that he doesn't' have any time left to figure out who he wants to be. Enter Miss Volker who, in classic guide-and-mentor guise, is here to tell him that all he needs to do is be his own person. Okay. Easier said than done, right?
Quote #9
I looked directly down at the dead deer, and in its shiny eye I could see myself reflected. But instead of turning away in fear I knelt down and placed my hand over the eye. I loved that deer. It never did anything wrong in its entire life except to be in the wrong place. History could be like that, especially for the innocent. (27.61)
There's some pretty heavy symbolism here. Covering the deer's eye is an important action—Jack doesn't want to equate himself with the dead animal. He might be growing up, but he still doesn't want to be reminded that sooner or later, this will happen to him.