How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"I don't believe in this nonsense about time. Time is just common, it's like water for a fish. Everybody's in this water, nobody gets out of it, or if he does the same thing happens to him that happens to the fish, he dies. And you know what happens in this water, time? The big fish eat the little fish. That's all. The big fish eat the little fish and the ocean doesn't care." (1.2.103)
Why do you think that Giovanni has such a fatalistic view of things? Do you think that he is a big fish or a little fish? What about David? Is Giovanni hiding something with his cynicism? If so, what is he hiding?
Quote #5
The measure the gram, the centimetre, these people, and they keep piling all the little scraps they save, one on top of the other, year in and year out, all in the stocking or under the bed – and what do they get out of all this measure? A country which is falling to pieces, measure by measure, before their eyes. (1.2.121)
Here is Giovanni's characterization of the French. What does he mean when he accuses the French of trying to measure everything? Is his more than a nice turn of phrase, or is there some truth in it? Forget the French. What is Giovanni saying about himself and his interest in David?
Quote #6
"Tell me," he said, "what is this thing about time? Why is it better to be late than early? People are always saying, we must wait, we must wait. What are they waiting for?" (1.2.134)
Indirectly, what is Giovanni trying to communicate to David. Why do people wait to make decisions? In the story, when is waiting a good thing and when is it a bad thing? How do the characters decide when to wait and when to make instinctual decisions? Given his past, why might Giovanni be particularly opposed to waiting?