How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
They lunched in a gay party of six in a private dining-room at the club, while Isabelle and Amory looked at each other tenderly over the fried chicken and knew that their love was to be eternal. (1.2.429)
Hahaha. Eternal love between Amory and Isabelle? The two of them totally stop liking each other at the first sign of trouble. But hey, that's the fantasy of young love for you.
Quote #2
He had arrived, abreast of the best in his generation at Princeton. He was in love and his love was returned. (1.2.436)
Amory feels like the rest of his life will be easy now that he's in love with a girl who loves him back. Little does he know that his problems are only going to get bigger as he gets older. This is really the last time we'll ever see him this happy.
Quote #3
But he fell gradually in love and began to speculate wildly on marriage. (1.4.215)
Amory knows he shouldn't fall in love with his distant cousin Clara. But he does anyway and makes plans to marry her. It doesn't come as a surprise when she says no, but he still feels bad. The poor guy just thinks that having someone in his life will make his problems go away.
Quote #4
"You're not in love with me. You never wanted to marry me, did you?" (1.4.267)
Clara knows that Amory never really loved her. He just said he did because he wanted to be in love with someone. He's tired of being alone; but that's not the same thing as loving a specific person.
Quote #5
"I wonder if you know you love me." (2.1.212)
Rosalind isn't a shrinking violet. She plays all sorts of headgames with guys and constantly accuses them of being in love with her. The truth is that many of them are, so she ends up getting the upper hand on almost every occasion.
Quote #6
"Suppose—we fell in love." (2.1.261)
Amory falls in love with Rosalind the moment he first lays eyes on her. But rather than say it directly, he asks her to entertain the hypothetical scenario of them falling in love. It's a thin ploy and Rosalind knows it. Before you know it they're totally making out and saying they love one another.
Quote #7
"I love you—now." (2.1.284)
Rosalind is a lot more of a realist than Amory. She knows that her feelings change all the time, which is why she always adds the word "now" when she tells Amory she loves him. What she's really saying is that she loves him now… but probably won't later.
Quote #8
Within two weeks Amory and Rosalind were deeply and passionately in love. (2.1.285)
Well there you have it. Amory and Rosalind fall in love almost immediately. But things that come easily tend to go easily, too, and that's exactly what happens. Rosalind keeps loving Amory, but she decides not to marry him because he doesn't have enough money or status.
Quote #9
Yet was Amory capable of love now? (2.3.75)
After his split with Rosalind, Amory wonders if he'll ever be able to love again. The fact is that we still don't know the answer by the end of the book. Being left by Rosalind was bad enough, but being left for some other dude because of money and status is enough to make Amory give up on love altogether.
Quote #10
She was gone, definitely, finally gone. Until now he had half unconsciously cherished the hope deep in his heart that some day she would need him and send for him. (2.4.142)
When he sees the notice for Rosalind's engagement in the paper, Amory knows that she's gone for good. He has always hoped that love would prevail and she'd come back for him, but it doesn't look like this is what will happen.