How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #7
"in a couple of years when we'll all be atom-dead [the midterm exams] won't matter a bit." (53)
That's one way of looking at school. The threat of nuclear annihilation felt very real in the wake of World War II. Emily's reference to the atomic bomb ("atom-dead") in the same breath as her rejection of the educational system seems to indicate her defiance of power.