Life, Consciousness, and Existence Quotes in The Host

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"You could live forever if you left us." (38.95)

Wanda no longer wants to exist as a parasite. She wants to adopt a human lifestyle, even if it means she will eventually die. Of course, that's not necessarily true, now that she's taught Doc how to transfer souls on his own. And what about the girl whose body she takes at the end?

Quote #8

"We have a greater range of good and bad in us than you do. [...] We value the individual. We probably put too much emphasis on the individual, if it comes right down to it." (41.58)

This might be the biggest difference between humans and Wanda's species. Wanda's species values the community above all. They co-exist in near-perfect harmony. Conversely, while humans have communities (and need them to survive) the wants and needs of an individual have the power to tear communities apart.

Quote #9

Laughter was like a fresh breeze—it cleaned its way through the body, making everything feel good. Did other species have such a simple healer? (50.74)

Here's another reason that Wanda decides to stay human: the power of laughter. Despite tears and pain, there's always laughter and love to get us through difficult times. (We think we read that on a card somewhere.)