How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
It was a losing war, and I wanted to withdraw, count my dead, and look for love in another land, but she was a great b****, Deborah, a lioness of the species. (1.14)
The idea that Rojack views his relationship as a battlefield—and his wife as a lioness—tells us everything we need to know about their relationship. First, it reveals that he sees men and women as fundamental enemies, and it also shows that he is truly afraid of Deborah, which is a fact that is about to become very important.
Quote #2
She somehow fails in her role (as psychoanalysts, those frustrated stage directors, might say) if the love escapes with being maimed. (1.14)
This is so over-the-top that we can hardly believe it. Does Rojack really believe that Deborah is such an evil person that she gets joy from hurting the people she loves? Already, it's clear that Rojack has some serious lady issues.
Quote #3
She was a handsome woman, Deborah, she was big. With high heels she stood at least an inch over me. (1.53)
Here, Rojack gives Deborah masculine qualities to emphasize how he feels emasculated by her. She's not pretty, she's handsome; she's not tall, she's big. It's worth mentioning that she's probably shorter than him—her height is only an illusion caused by her high heels, a trapping of femininity.