How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
A lovely sloop stood away from us, her genoa set like a curving scarf, and all the coastal craft trudged up the Sound or wallowed heavily toward New York. Then a submarine slipped to the surface half a mile away, and the day lost part of its brightness. Farther away another dark creature slashed through the water, and another; of course they are based in New London, and this is their home. And perhaps they are keeping the world's peace with this venom. I wish I could like submarines, for then I might find them beautiful, but they are designed for destruction, and while they may explore and chart the sea bottom, and draw new trade lines under the Arctic ice, their main purpose is threat. (2.1.4)
At the surface, Steinbeck keeps things pretty funny and relatively light for a lot of the book, but don't be fooled—there are clues from early on that he has some weightier things on his mind (and other Americans do, too). For example, here he is fresh out on the road, staring out at the Long Island Sound, and his mind turns to... nuclear war? You see, that's the first thing that comes to mind when he sees submarines. As you'll learn once you get further into the book, Steinbeck's mind returns early and often to the subject of nuclear war and the potential for total annihilation that it presents.
Quote #2
And I remember too well crossing the Atlantic on a troop ship and knowing that somewhere on the way the dark things lurked searching for us with their single-stalk eyes. (2.1.4)
Ah, now we get the submarine connection a little better. Apparently, he associates them with traveling on a troop ship and knowing that subs were below him. Of course, he associates subs with war, then—he was with troops during one when he first encountered them.
Quote #3
"How can you tell them?"
"I know them. I'm on them."
"Atomic?"
"Not yet, but I've got an uncle on one, and maybe pretty soon." (2.1.6-9)
Steinbeck meets a guy on the ferry across the Long Island Sound who can distinguish between the different types of subs. Apparently, the one Steinbeck just spotted is a new one—the guy knows because he works on them.