How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Renfrew left the house and mounted his bicycle. Already he was sloughing off the family man, his thoughts reaching ahead to the lab, the day's instructions to the technicians, the coming interview with Peterson. (1.30)
Wow, we're not a whole chapter into the story and already Renfrew is having difficulties balancing his life as a scientist and a family man. Right now, he seems able to flip it on and off like a switch, but care to take a guess how long that will last?
Quote #2
Huh?" The image of his mother frowning at the thinly clad girls on Girard distracted him.
"She asked if I was the cleaning lady."
"Oh."
"You haven't told her we're living together, have you?"
A pause. "I will."
Penny made a humorless smile. "Why haven't you already?" (7.10-15)
Gordon's family difficulties are different than Renfrew's. Whereas Renfrew has been in a serious relationship for a while and is a father, Gordon is in his first serious relationship and it still has that new car smell. With that said, their task of balancing work and family life will prove to have more in common than it seems to have on the surface.
Quote #3
So what guidance could he give Johnny? "See here, son, remember one thing—don't take any advice." He could see Johnny's eyes widen and the boy reply, "But that's silly, Daddy. If I take your advice, I'm doing the opposite of what you say." Renfrew smiled. Paradoxes sprouted everywhere. (10.75)
It is tempting to see Renfrew-as-scientist and Renfrew-as-family-man as two different sides to the same man, but as this quote makes clear, he cannot separate these two qualities of his personality. They all mix together to create the character of Renfrew.