How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.
Quote #1
Beatrice: "You'll see, you'll get a blessing for this!" (1.76)
Hmm…doesn't really turn out that way.
Quote #2
Eddie: "You'll never get nowheres unless you finish school." (1.89)
Education is equated with hope in the world of the play.
Quote #3
Catherine: "It ain't exactly a secretary, it's a stenographer first, but pretty soon you get to be secretary." (1.93)
Is this Catherine's big dream or the one Eddie created for her?
Quote #4
Eddie: "I want you to be with a different kind of people. […] if you're gonna get outa here then get out; don't go practically in the same kind of neighborhood." (1.119)
See, Eddie isn't all bad. It seems like he honestly does dream of a better life for his niece.
Quote #5
Rodolpho: "Me, I want to be an American. And then I want to back to Italy when I am rich, and I will buy a motorcycle." (1.281)
Here you see the American Dream wrapped in an Italian one.
Quote #6
Marco: "When you have no wife, you have dreams." (1.287)
Is this always true? Do you have to give up your dreams when you get married?
Quote #7
Alfieri: "Eddie Carbone had never expected to have a destiny." (1.326)
Eddie gave away any real hopes for himself. He only dreams of Catherine's future.
Quote #8
Rodolpho: "I would be a criminal stealing your face. In two years you would have an old, hungry face." (1.33)
Rodolfo twists Catherine's hopes of running away to Italy into a nightmare.