How we cite our quotes: The main text of the story is cited (Chapter.Paragraph). The date headers are not counted as paragraphs. The verses in the chapters with a single passage from the narrator's religious texts are cited (Chapter.Verse.Line#). In chapters with multiple passages, the verses are cited (Chapter.Verse#.Line#). The four section pages with the years and passages are cited (Year.Verse).
Quote #10
In some places, the rich are escaping by flying out in helicopters. The bridges that are still intact—and most of them are—are guarded either by the police or by gangs. Both groups are there to rob desperate, fleeing people of their weapons, money, food, and water—at the least. The penalty for being too poor to be worth robbing is a beating, a rape, and/or death. The National Guard has been activated to restore order, and I suppose it might. But I suspect that in the short term, it will only add to the chaos. What else could another group of well-armed people do in such an insane situation. (20.6)
Toward the end of the novel, society is breaking down in more and more places. Almost everybody's becoming impoverished, and those who are not are having to escape from riots in helicopters. This is Lauren's near-future United States. What would you do in this situation, and why? Lauren doesn't trust the National Guard to solve the problem (they're just another group of men with guns), but who can she trust? She turns to herself for answers—is doing that a good idea?