How we cite our quotes:
Quote #1
It was her father's voice that moved her, that voice that could come only from the life he lived. A life of withdrawal from the world, a life of constant awareness of death. (1.1.121)
Mr. Hill is obsessed with death. Actually, it's probably more accurate that he's weighed down by it, having spent his life researching the long history of violence between various communities in the United States. Strangely, Meridian loves her father so much because of his sadness.
Quote #2
Meridian's father said that Mr. Longknife had killed a lot of people [...] in the Second World War. The reasons he'd done this remained abstract. (1.6.22)
Although Mr. Longknife was persecuted by his own government, he ends up fighting and killing on their behalf. What does that do to a man? As it turns out, it shakes him to his core, turning him into a wanderer with few hopes or plans for the future.
Quote #3
She was a dot, a speck of creation, alone and hidden. She had contact with no other living thing; instead she was surrounded by the dead. (1.6.35)
Meridian's first mystical experience shows her what it's like to not exist. Trippy. This becomes an important part of her identity—you can even connect it to the fainting spells she experiences later in life. In fact, those fainting spells are portrayed to be similar to dying, too.
Quote #4
Her father said the Indian had constructed the coil in the Serpent's tail in order to give the living a sensation similar to that of dying. (1.6.37)
Well, that explains it. Although she's not particularly religious, Meridian discovers that she's quite spiritual. This experience connects her to a past that is long dead and gone, just as her father does when he pores over maps of ancient Native American settlements.
Quote #5
She dreamed she was a character in a novel and that her existence presented an insoluble problem, one that would be solved only by her death at the end. (1.15.1)
This concept becomes a running theme in the novel. In Meridian's time, it felt like all of the greatest and most noble leaders ended up dead at the hands of evil men. Although Meridian wants to fight for her people, she isn't eager to follow them to such a bitter end. Can you blame her?
Quote #6
"The only new thing now," she had said to herself [...] "would be the refusal of Christ to accept crucifixion. King [...] should have refused. Malcolm, too, should have refused." (2.19.73)
Meridian isn't too fond of the idea of martyrdom. Here, she draws a connection between the political leaders of her day and Jesus himself, emphasizing the fact that all of these people could have done so much good had they been allowed to live. Meridian sees a similar fate for herself and isn't looking forward to it. But what if there were some way to break the cycle?
Quote #7
They waited for the pain of Camara's death to lessen. They waited to ask forgiveness of each other. They waited until they could talk again. (2.24.16)
Lynne and Truman's marriage was already on the rocks before this, but Camara's death settles things. Ironically, this event likely sets the stage for the later reconciliation between the two—it's not until Truman is humbled by the reality of death that he is able to make some sort of peace with his former wife.
Quote #8
"It's a black characteristic, man [...] We don't go on over death the way whiteys do." (3.26.8)
If you ask us, this a much healthier response to death. Sure, there's room to cry and be sad, but it's equally important to celebrate life. After all, it's only by living that we carry our loved ones' memories forward.
Quote #9
When his son was killed he had gone temporarily insane. Meridian had read about it in the paper. (3.28.12)
Meridian undergoes a transformation after seeing this man at church. She has never seen someone so profoundly shaken by the death of a loved one before, and he inspires her to commit more fully to protecting life.
Quote #10
She made a promise to the red-eyed man herself: that yes, indeed she would kill, before she allowed anyone to murder his son again. (3.28.25)
It's pretty darn ironic that Meridian decides that she could murder someone as an affirmation of life. It makes sense when you think about it, though. Meridian has seen a lot of unjust death and suffering throughout her life and there's no end in sight. Desperate times call for desperate measures.