“How many perfect autumns did a person get? Why did I seem always to be in the wrong place, listening to the wrong music?”
This quote expresses the narrator's frustration at being in the wrong place at the wrong time while listening to the wrong music. It reflects their feelings about missing out on life experiences, particularly romantic ones. The narrator is comparing themselves to their more successful mother, who met and married her husband at a young age. They wonder if they will ever find the kind of love depicted in literature, which appears to be out of reach for them. The quote is a reflection on the passage of time and how quickly life passes them by, making them wonder if they will ever find the kind of love they seek. The quote paints a picture of frustration and longing, and it speaks to the universal experience of feeling like one is missing out on something.
“Everything you want right now, everything you want so passionately and think you’ll never get—you will get it someday.” I accidentally met her eyes, and it felt like she was talking to me. “Yes, you will get it,” she said, looking right at me, “but by that time, you won’t want it anymore. That’s how it happens.”
The quote by Irina Nikolaevna speaks to the idea of life's impermanence. Nothing lasts forever, no matter how much we want it. It may take time to get what we want, but once we do, we may no longer want it. This is because life is ever-changing, and the things we desire can change along with it. Her quote reminds the readers to appreciate the present while looking forward to the future with an open mind and heart. They must also accept that some things will not last forever and be ready for change. The quote also implies that people should not become overly attached to any one thing because it may be fleeting. This can be seen in the story's author's musings about Ivan and Tatiana. Ivan and Tatiana were in love, but by the end of the story, they were no longer in love.
“I learned a lot from that, like how much it hurt to see how other people described you, and how things that you said about another person, especially your parents, seemed neutral when addressed to a third party, but lethal when you thought about your parents reading it.”
The narrator emphasizes the importance of understanding power dynamics in a conversation with this quote. The narrator discovered that it was upsetting to hear how others described them and to hear their comments about their parents taken out of context. Furthermore, the narrator discovered that while comments directed at a third party may appear neutral, they can be perceived as hostile and even "lethal" when one considers how their parents may interpret them. This quote serves as a timely reminder of the power dynamics that can emerge in conversations and the importance of being mindful of how one’s words are perceived by others.
“You have a lot of time, you don’t need to be in a hurry.” That’s what the deans said when you tried to take five classes. Easy for them: they were already deans. Either that was something they wanted to be doing, in which case they could afford to relax; or it wasn’t what they had wanted to be doing, and now they were invested in preventing anyone else from accomplishing anything, either.”
This quote is a remark on how the deans were conveying the message that one should not rush through things. The Narrator is frustrated because they believe the deans are attempting to prevent others from achieving their goals by telling them to take their time. It is also a reflection of the Narrator's own childhood experiences, as they felt stifled from becoming adults and taking on responsibilities when they were younger. The Narrator is implying that the deans should not be so dismissive of the importance of making progress and achieving goals on time.
