How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Historical fact: people stopped being human in 1913. (2.1.155)
Henry Ford's factory didn't just revolutionize machinery, it revolutionized humanity by making them a part of the machine. The reason? To maximize profits, to turn people into components of the machine in order to make the most money. Just think of all the mechanical metaphors you've heard about working life, such as being a "cog." How many others can you think of?
Quote #2
"We encourage our employees to obtain mortgages." (2.1.201)
This sounds like a nice sentiment, doesn't it? We want you to have a house, a fence, 2.5 children. (What happened to the other half of that child?) But the motives behind this are nefarious—they want their employees to obtain mortgages because they're the landowners, which means they'll profit from the deal. These guys are monetizing the American dream.
Quote #3
Like all expectant fathers, their thoughts turned to money. (2.2.26)
Lefty and Jimmy are traditional guys. They think their main (and maybe only) responsibility as fathers is to make the dollah dollah bills. What are they missing out by making this their focus? What is their family missing out on?
Quote #4
On Thursday, October 24, 1929, on Wall Street in New York City, men in finely tailored suits began jumping from the windows of the city's famous skyscrapers. (2.3.48)
Losing wealth caused people to lose their lives. And by setting the story against the background, Eugenides shows us what a focus money was at this time. Too bad Donald Trump wasn't around back then...
Quote #5
"We sell the silks right from the temple," Sister Wanda explained. (2.3.156)
The Nation of Islam seems part religion and part business. Which do you think is the driving force?
Quote #6
Meat began appearing less often on our dinner table. Milton rationed electricity. (3.2.15)
Wealth. Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don't. During the Great Depression, it doesn't seem like anyone has it, not even the Stephanides family.
Quote #7
"You life ain't you property?" (3.2.64)
Non-standard grammar aside, this man named Morrison makes a good point. People will put their lives on the line to protect their property, whether it be money, a house, of stuff. Shouldn't they put more value on their lives?
Quote #8
What can I say about my well-bred, small-nosed, trust-funded schoolmates? (3.5.21)
Cal's boarding school experience shows us that, yes, money can buy education. These girls aren't good at anything other than inheriting their parents' dough.
Quote #9
They were well stocked with gorp, bongs, pipes, vials of amyl nitrate, but understocked on towels, underwear, toothpaste. (4.4141)
It's hard for a homeless person to get by, but it makes it difficult to justify giving them money (Cal watches them beg for change) when this is what they're spending their money on. We don't even know what half of that stuff is. (Seriously, though, what is gorp?)
Quote #10
"How much is it worth to you to get your daughter back?" (4.6.43)
It's hard enough to place a value on a human life, but when it's a member of your family it seems impossible. The blackmailer eventually decides on twenty-five Gs. Is Milton getting a bargain, or has Uncle Mike really oversold Cal's worth?