How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #7
She was too dismayed by the change in Mrs. Travers, by what looked like an increase in bulk, a stiffness in all her movements…and a faint crust showing at the corners of her mouth, like sugar. (181)
It's as if up until this point, Grace has only seen Mrs. Travers with a mask, and in this scene the mask is off. This is an important moment for Grace, when she realizes the woman she looks up to so much is only human, flaws and imperfections and all. Moments like these are an important part of growing up—we all experience something like this in one way or another, whether it's with our parents, friends, or mentors.
Quote #8
And now in the doorway it seemed that she could see her uncle…looking out at her…as if she had promised to go home and then she had forgotten about it, and in all this time he should have died but he hadn't. (252)
Maybe one of the hardest parts about getting older is feeling guilty about leaving home. This quote touches on yet another challenging aspect of growing up, and serves to make "Passion" that much more relatable. In a story that largely deals with the challenges we face moving forward with our lives, Munro takes a minute to focus on the other sorts of challenges we face in looking back. It's a bit remarkable Munro was able to cover so much ground in this story, but then again, it's not like she was given the Nobel Prize for nothing.
Quote #9
She saw him now in circumstances that let him come into his own. (314)
At this point it seems there has been some sort of reversal in how Grace perceives Mr. Travers and how she sees Mrs. Travers. There's more to everyone than meets the eye—and it's only a matter of time until our initial perception of them begins to change.