The Usual Rules Mortality Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

I was just wondering, she said. A young woman in a vest had stopped to take a drink from her water bottle by the spot where Wendy was standing. You aren't finding bodies or anything are you?

Not much you'd recognize, the woman said. If it's anything human, they've got a priest set up in a tent to say the last rites. (3.275-276)

Wow, if that woman knew that Wendy had a parent in the Twin Towers, she probably wouldn't say that. But her comment about the parts of bodies they're finding brings the reality of the situation home for Wendy: Her mother is probably dead.

Quote #5

A girl at my school said all the people got buried under the building, Louie whispered. My teacher said to be quiet but the girl said her mom said all the people got turned into bits of dust and the reason everyone's wearing masks is they might be allergic to dead people. (5.33)

Even though Louie is too young to really understand death, he's still disturbed by what he's hearing about the 9/11 attacks and the people who were in the Twin Towers. He's totally aware that something terrible happened to his mother.

Quote #6

They stood there for a while looking at the pictures.

He doesn't look like the kind of person who'd be dead, said Amelia.

I know what you mean, said Wendy. But lots of people don't. (6.12-14)

Although the cute firefighter on the flyer looks young and healthy and like he'll survive anything, Wendy knows the truth: People can look perfectly normal before they die. They can seem like they'll live forever until the very last moment.