How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"As it turned out, the uncertainty itself was the worst suffering we had to undergo." (15.45)
Given that the rats also endured months of captivity and being kidnapped, this is a pretty big statement. It also makes a lot of sense though: for the rats, not knowing what the scientists have planned for them means that they have zero control over their own lives.
Quote #2
"He placed the cage in a slot against a wall, slid open the end, opened a matching door in the wall—and I was free.
"Or so I thought." (16.3-4)
As if it isn't bad enough to be trapped in a cage, now the scientists are dangling freedom in Nicodemus's face, only to snatch it away just as quickly. Treatment like this will do things to a rat… like make him want to escape.
Quote #3
"Yet I was in a frenzy to reach that open lawn, to run for the bushes, to get away from the cage… No use." (16.6)
Nicodemus could have given up on his freedom and been content with his comfortable life behind bars. Instead though, having freedom so near to his reach only makes him more determined to reach out and grab it.
Quote #4
"He was right, and you can see that already we both had the same idea in mind: that this might be the first step toward escape for us all." (16.58)
For some super-geniuses, it's all about me, myself, and I. But here, we learn that Nicodemus and Jenner have some serious leadership skills and plan on taking the whole crew with them when they flee the lab. The fact that they are so connected now also makes the split between the two later feel even sadder.
Quote #5
"Finally, reluctantly, everyone agreed to spend one more day in the laboratory and leave early the next night. But it was a hard decision, with freedom so near." (18.31)
Ding-dong, it's the Suspense Fairy and she has a special message for you: hold your breath because at any moment, these characters that you care about could have all of their greatest hopes dashed if a scientist decides to come back to the lab for even a second.
Quote #6
"And yet all was not well. After the first burst of energy, the moving in of the machines, the digging of tunnels and rooms—after that was done, a feeling of discontent settled upon us like some creeping disease." (22.20)
Yikes. The "creeping disease" that the rats feel is directly related to their new ability to think and reason. NIMH has made sure that their bodies are healthy, but they couldn't quite figure out how to control their minds.
Quote #7
"We tried to ignore the feeling or to fight it off by building more things—bigger rooms, fancier furniture, carpeted hallways, things we did not really need." (22.21)
You probably know someone who has done something like this—bought a fancy car or a new gadget to get rid of the blues. This is an important moment in the story because it shows the rats experiencing human emotions and motivations.
Quote #8
"But why? Why move? We've got a better place to live right now […] I can't understand why everybody talks about changing things." (22.50)
Even though he's no hero, you've got to admit that Jenner has a point. Ever heard that phrase about not looking a gift horse in the mouth? Jenner thinks that Nicodemus is staring so hard into that horse's mouth that he's about to fall in and drag the rest of them with him.
Quote #9
"I say, why start from nothing if you can start with everything? We've already got a civilization." (22.56)
This brings up some pretty big questions about change. If we follow Jenner's logic, then people who want a change should just settle for what they've got. Maybe the point here is that if everyone thought this way, we might not have fire, or wheels, or forks, or reality TV. Talk about a bummer.
Quote #10
"Just the fact that it was a cage made it horrible. I, who had always run where I wanted, could go three hops forward […] and that was all. But worse was the dreadful feeling […] that we were at the mercy of someone we knew not at all, for some purpose we could not guess." (15.44)
In a way, the cage is only a symptom of a bigger problem for the rats. Sure there are bars, but what causes them the most pain is the memories of freedom and the fact that they don't understand what the meaning of it all is.