“You can’t compensate for everyone all your life. In the end you have to demand something of people.”
Gail has a reputation for compensating and making allowances for people, particularly her partner Vic. Daisy confronts her about this conduct, noting that it is both endearing and problematic. Gail recognizes she has been continually attempting to compensate for the flaws of others while ignoring her wants and ambitions. According to the saying, there comes a time when one must stop being the everlasting caregiver and begin expecting reciprocity and accountability from others around them. Gail's realization represents a growing knowledge of the need to set limits and demand more from people rather than always enabling them. It addresses the concept of self-worth and the significance of asserting oneself in relationships.
“Most people would settle for a wave in the street, a brief greeting in Woolworths. But he hadn’t considered folks like the Keenans. They were full-on people. They were salt of the earth. They would never settle for just a meeting on the main drag.”
The narrator indicates that most people in town would be okay with casual and superficial exchanges such as a wave on the street or a brief greeting at a common spot like Woolworths. The Keenans, on the other hand, are portrayed as unique. They are described as "full-on people" and "salt of the earth," and they desire more genuine interactions. The narrator hints that the Keenans favor deeper, more personal ties over superficiality. Their nature is perceived as genuine and authentic in contrast to the expected shallow interactions with others. This statement alluded to the narrator's expectation of a more intense and involved reunion with the Keenans, potentially leading to a confrontation with his past and the complexity it entails. The contrast between the Keenans and the general townsfolk creates a sense of tension and anticipation for the forthcoming dinner and interaction with them.
“Time doesn't click on and on at the stroke. It comes and goes in waves and folds like water; it flutters and sifts like dust, rises, billows, falls back on itself. When a wave breaks, the water is not moving. The swell has traveled great distances but only the energy is moving, not the waves. Perhaps time moves through us and not through it.”
The quotation expresses the narrator's thoughts on the nature of time and its link to human experience. The remark contradicts the common notion of time as a linear and consistent progression, implying that time is more fluid and subjective. The example of a breaking wave highlights the idea that time travels through us rather than us going through time. It underlines that, while we perceive time passing, it is the energy and experiences within us that are in motion while time itself remains mysterious and intangible. This introspective reflection highlights the narrator's search for meaning and understanding in their return to the old neighborhood as they battle with unresolved past events and how time has affected their identity and relationships.
“He wasn’t afraid of anything until the very end and even then, in the last awful, mid-season weeks, it was the very sudden and novel prospect of failure that scared him.”
Leaper is portrayed as a gifted athlete, notably in football. He has always had a natural talent and spatial genius which enables him to flourish on the field. His fear of failure, though, distinguishes him from his brother Max. Leaper has never been truly terrified of anything until he faces the possibility of failure in the last weeks of the football season. The fear of failing is strong enough to undermine Leaper's confidence and impair his performance. It represents a shift in his attitude in which the pressure and expectations placed on him become overbearing and he begins to doubt his talents. This quote demonstrates the internal struggle Leaper faces, highlighting the psychological toll that the fear of failure can have on even the most talented individuals. It adds depth to his character and sets the stage for the conflict between him and Max.
