How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The sight unnerved him so that he shot a snake on reflex—a useless act, to shoot one where there were hundreds. (35.54)
The first death in the book isn't the result of a bullet—it's the result of a snakebite. When poor Sean O'Brien is eaten by water moccasins, the score is Man: 0 Snake: 1. Shooting one snake does nothing to even the score.
Quote #8
"But grass is interesting," [Po Campo] said. "It's like my serape, only it's the earth it covers. It covers everything and one day it will cover me." (47.70)
Po Campo's calmness is rooted in the fact that he is at one with nature. He understands that he's not separate from it; he and the rest of the men are a part of it. So they might as well eat a few grasshoppers while they're there, right? Logical conclusion? Why not?
Quote #9
It struck [Gus] that he had forgotten emptiness such as existed in the country that stretched around him. […] From him to the stars, in all directions, there was only silence and emptiness. (54.21-54.22)
This is what Gus is really searching for in life. Maybe. His relationship with nature is complicated. He is in awe of its beauty here, but this beauty is also lonely. Gus likes being a part of it, but he is sad that it's slowly going away as civilization encroaches.