How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Maybe this was the last spider," [Isidore] said. "The last living spider on Earth." He reflected. "In that case it's all over for spiders, too." (18.72)
Just imagine a world with no spiders, one where no one even remembers what a spider is. It's really kind of tragic—unless you're an arachnophobe.
Quote #8
I could go back and get that spider, [Rick] reflected. I've never found a live, wild animal. It must be a fantastic experience to look down and see something living scuttling along. Maybe it'll happen someday to me like it did him. (19.24)
Rick has never experienced seeing an animal living in the wild, but he's heard about it. Collective memory tells him it must be a great experience, just like we've heard it must be great to graduate college with no student loan debt and great job prospects. Sob.
Quote #9
Once, he thought, I would have seen the stars. Years ago. But now it's only the dust; no one has seen a star in years, at least not on Earth. (20.25)
How cool is this: We see the same constellations as the ancient Greeks who created them thousands of years ago. But not future-us: in the future, people only see a gray dark sky with no constellations. In other words, the future world is so disconnected from its past that it can't even see the stars of yesterday. (Did you try checking Hollywood boulevard? Womp womp.)