How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
[The] Sicilians never want to improve for the simple reason that they think themselves perfect; their vanity is stronger than their misery. (4.99)
Pride can be a big motivator. In this case, though, it's a huge de-motivator. It's really hard to motivate someone who feels like they've got nothing to prove, and this is exactly what the Sicilians think. If they're already perfect, what's the point of being ambitious?
Quote #8
"[He] says there's been no revolution and that all will go on as it did before." (5.33)
Father Pirrone is one of the first people to truly understand Fabrizio's inertia. He knows that this inertia comes from the fact that Fabrizio doesn't think according to short-term goals. He looks at all of history, in which humanity itself is just the slightest of blips in the earth's existence. That's why he doesn't think it's really important whether his social class continues to exist or doesn't.
Quote #9
And then these people filling the rooms, all these faded women, all these stupid men, these two vainglorious sexes were part of his blood, part of himself. (6.36)
Fabrizio knows that the people of Sicily are all vain and ignorant because they want to be. He even admits to himself that he shares their blood and is a lot like them in most ways. It's these moments where we truly see how much he's given up on finding something meaningful to fight for with the time he has left.