How we cite our quotes:
Quote #4
She loved the warmth, the lying together, the peace. She endured the sex because it gave her those things. (1.7.33)
Well, at least we found some part of sexuality that Meridian enjoys. This shows us that Meridian is interested in sex, on some level. Maybe she would be sexually active if there were men out there who felt a similar way. If there are, however, she hasn't met them.
Quote #5
When the girl tried to bury her face in his chest and force his arms around her, he pushed her away. (1.7.42)
The Voice is one creepy dude. He sees sex as a form of conquest—his rejection of the girl's plea for emotional closeness tells us everything we need to know. What a weird way to learn about the birds and the bees.
Quote #6
Eddie's mother, now forty-nine, had undoubtedly misinterpreted one of her sexual facts: Meridian could never quite believe her when she said she'd planned such a late baby. (1.9.1)
Sexual misinformation is seen throughout the book with disastrous consequences. It also leads to a vicious cycle—each generation is unprepared for the realities of sex by the previous generation, leaving them unable to prepare the next generation, and so on and so forth. How different would Meridian's life have been if her mom had given her "The Talk"?