“After emotions are felt, expressed, where do they go? Is there a place where spent passion collects? Surely it can't simply vaporize, disappear like smoke. There must be a secret hiding place. For every old love affair, a locked room.”
The quote reflects the idea that emotions, even if they are no longer expressed, are never truly lost. James is considering the possibility that the emotions felt and expressed by two people in a previous relationship have not simply vanished, but have been hidden away in a safe place. This is about nostalgia and how strong emotions and memories can linger even after one has moved on. The quote implies that these emotions can be revisited in the future and that a reunion between the two people is still possible.
“There are only certain times in life when emergence is possible. The life strategy for children of immigrants, starting with nothing, is to use that time to build social, educational, and financial capital on which to ride out the rest of their lives.”
The quote implies that immigrant children have a limited window of opportunity to build their lives and gain the social, educational, and financial capital that will sustain them for the rest of their lives. It implies that if this opportunity is not taken advantage of, it may be lost, leaving the individual with little to show for their efforts. It also implies that starting from scratch can be a difficult challenge, but success can be found if time is spent developing the necessary skills and connections. Finally, the quote emphasizes the importance of striving for more to create a better life for oneself rather than settling for mediocrity.
“It’s true on a technicality. I’m being held unlawfully. I didn’t commit the crime for which I’ve been convicted. But if you look at it another way, I deserve to be here. I did a lot of other shitty things, for which I wasn’t punished.”
This quote is about a man named Dagou, who has been wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He admits that, while he never committed the crime for which he was convicted, he did do a lot of "shitty things" for which he was never punished. The quote speaks to the complexities of morality and justice, and how people are sometimes punished for things they did not do, while others are able to get away with things they did do. It also alluded to the concept of deservedness, as Dagou believes he deserves to be where he is because of the other wrongs he has committed. This quote suggests that justice is not always clear-cut and that there can be a lot of shades of gray when it comes to assigning blame.
