How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #10
And his own social position was uncertain. Even in England a dentist is a troublesome creature, whom careful people find difficult to class. He hovers between the professions and the trades; he may be only a little lower than the doctors, or he may be down among the chemists, or even beneath them. The son of the Italian dentist felt this too. (4.20)
Notice how stratified class and social positions are in this novel. Even within the working class, there are subtle distinctions between social positions depending on your profession: a dentist isn't as high on the pecking order as doctors, and even chemists are a foot above dentists. Gino recognizes his lowly social status, but he's definitely not as concerned about it as Lilia and her in-laws. Because it would be almost impossible to be that concerned.
Quote #11
The social ideals of North and South had had their brief contention, and this time the South had won. (4.20)
In this quote, the North refers to England, and the South refers to Italy. When Lilia and Gino get married, the different social customs of England and Italy come into contact and, more often than not, lead to tense debates. The most heated argument between the couple centers on the issue of Lilia being allowed to take walks by herself. Gino forbids her to traipse around without a companion (something which isn't permitted in Italy), but Lilia argues that she had the freedom to take walks alone in England.
Quote #12
"All that winter I seemed to be waking up to beauty and splendour and I don't know what; and when the spring came, I wanted to fight against the things I hated—mediocrity and dullness and spitefulness and society. I actually hated society for a day or two at Monteriano. I didn't see that all these things are invincible, and that if we go against them they will break us to pieces." (5.72)
Miss Abbott explains to Philip that she initially went to Italy in order to escape the monotony and hypocrisy of English society. The "splendour" of Italy seemed like a breath of fresh air compared to the stifling rules of life in Sawston. But after Lilia's marriage to Gino, Miss Abbott is horrified by her involvement and realizes that society is "invincible."