How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
She could not help but feel it would have been better if the child had not taken the Ph.D. (18)
Mrs. Hopewell thinks that education hasn't had any positive effects on Hulga. She doesn't see much value in her daughter's academic endeavors, though she seems to think the experience of being in school was good for her.
Quote #2
You could not say "My daughter is a philosopher" That was something that had ended with the Greeks and Romans. All day Joy sat on her neck in a deep chair, reading. (19)
Mrs. Hopewell is an extremely practical, hard working person. And she doesn't see any practical benefit to her daughter reading.
Quote #3
"I don't want to go to college. I want to devote my life to the Christian service." (47)
One role of Manley's character is to doubt the need for education. This moment foreshadows his revelation to Hulga that he has surpassed her in knowledge of nothing, even though she has a doctoral degree and he (probably) has very little education.