How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Oh, I had imagined that with my one swift act—leaving home and coming to this new place—I could leave behind me, as if it were an old garment never to be worn again, my sad thoughts, my sad feelings, and my discontent with life in general as it presented itself to me (1.5).
You can run, but you can't hide (from your discontent, at least). The phrase "as if it were an old garment" underscores that dissatisfaction isn't some superficial thing like clothing that can be easily shed.
Quote #2
I wrote home to say how lovely everything was, and I used flourishing words and phrases, as if I were living life in a greeting card—the kind that has a satin ribbon on it, and quilted hearts and roses, and is expected to be so precious to the person receiving it that the manufacturer has placed a leaf of plastic on the front to protect it (1.10).
Liar, liar. We know that Lucy's life in the U.S. is hardly the rosy picture she wants to present to her peeps back home. Why does she project this false image?
Quote #3
I would not miss the long hot days, I would not miss the cool shaded woods, I would not miss the strange birds, I would not miss animals that came out at dusk looking for food—I would not miss anything, for I long ago had decided not to miss anything (3.35).
Sounds like a plan: Lucy seems to want to reduce her chances of getting in an unhappy funk in which she's missing everything. Whether this can actually work is anyone's guess, but it does suggest how central feelings of loss can be to dissatisfaction.