Rabbit, Run Visions of America Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"I’m a farmer’s daughter. Mr. Angstrom, and I would rather have seen this land gone under to alfalfa," [said Mrs. Smith]. (6.5)

Working in Mrs. Smith’s massive garden is "a heaven" to Rabbit and, to us at first glance, a refreshing contrast to the urban sprawl and decay and corporate takeover he so disdains. But Mrs. Smith has a different take. She only keeps it going in honor of her late husband, and, as the world’s hungry keeps getting hungrier, Mrs. Smith’s argument for sustenance farming in America continues to be highly relevant.

Quote #5

"I don’t suppose when I say ‘the war’ you know which one I mean. You probably think about that Korean thing as the war," [said Mrs. Smith].
"No, I think of the war as World War Two," [said Rabbit].
"So do I! So do I! Do you really remember it?"
[…]
"Our son was killed."
[…]
"It was a good war. It wasn’t like the first. It was ours to win, and we won it. All wars are hateful things, but that one was satisfying to win." (6.8-6.27)

Once again, Mrs. Smith hits us with our deepest fears and concerns. No small talk allowed. We can try putting Mrs. Smith’s vision of America at war in dialogue with current visions of America at war. If you are studying, say, aspects of World War Two for another class, this is a perfect opportunity to get all interdisciplinary on your teachers.

Quote #6

Club Castanet was named during the war when the South American craze was on […]. It’s in the south side of Brewer, the Italian-N***o Polish side, and Rabbit distrusts it. (9.1)

This gives us a chance to look at the agony and irony of American xenophobia, in 1959, and today. Doesn’t that sound like fun?