How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"If there is any trouble," he said, "take the poison and it will all be over." No one asked him what kind of trouble could be worse than death. They all seemed to know. (4.23)
We think it's fair to say that the women in Vahan's life have it the worst. He sees first hand how violated they are by the soldiers, and how much they have to suffer, just because they are women. Whether it's his sister, Seranoush, or Seta, all the women in the novel are taken advantage of.
Quote #2
Looking into the room, I saw only darkness at first. Then I heard a sound and a part of the floor moved, and I realized it was a floor of bodies. (6.11)
Chills, anyone? Vahan's description of the Armenians in the dark room gets us every time, perhaps because it's hard to imagine people suffering so much for nothing other than their race or ethnicity.
Quote #3
For the first time in my life, I was hungry and there was no food, I was thirsty and there was no water. I knew then as I had not known before that the room was real and that my home and my room and my bed had been a dream. (6.22)
Vahan's hunger and thirst are emphasized by the fact that he's never experienced this before. He's always had a comfortable life with no concerns, but now he's suffering more than most of us can even fathom.