Connie hated him. It flowed like electric syrup through her veins how she hated him.
This simile - 'flowed like electric syrup' - is a potent visual evocation of Connie's hatred of 'him', Geraldo, the boyfriend of her niece, Geraldo. The domestic violence that is a feature of their relationship angers Connie, something highlighted by the repetition of the verb 'hated'.
"Woman, so many man been into you, it could have been a whole subway car of daddies."
This quote provides evidence of the sexist and misogynistic attitude of Geraldo who is blind to his girlfriend's pregnant state, and instead using this opportunity to insult her. The coarse and crude imagery of "a whole subway car of daddies" reflects Dolly's work as a prostitute, a job she is made to do by her boyfriend, her pimp, Geraldo. His lack of concern in saying such a provocative statement indicates the nature of male-female power structure.
The powerful don't make revolutions
This quote encapsulates the novel's main concern: power and privilege. The simple nature of the phrase contrasts with its philosophical depth, showing that entrenched power and patriarchy do not intend to change the established order, since it benefits them. Instead, revolutions have to begin and be enacted by the underprivileged - on account of race, sexuality, gender or class - and the dispossessed, in order to succeed.
"An army of lovers cannot lose"
A slogan uttered by some of the novel's characters who live in the utopic future, "An army of lovers cannot lose" unites the two images of war and love, or peace, producing a near-paradoxical effect. The idea that an "army" is now utilizing love, rather than weapons, to win a conflict is indicative of the optimistic attitude the novel takes towards societal relations and the power of love to overcome hate and division. Like the quote above, its pithy and simple nature juxtaposes its profound moral weight.
