How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
If you possess any magazines or articles that you enjoy, I would be very happy if you could post them to me. […] I intend articles about America, you know. (14.15)
Alex wants to go to America, but he knows it might never happen. So he has to explore America vicariously through whatever media Jonathan sends to him… kind of like how we explore Trachimbrod through this book. And we're definitely not going to be able to go there.
Quote #8
We drove the car behind Augustine, who walked. (23.2)
The journey to Trachimbrod takes forever even when they're only a kilometer away. We might as well be trying to return the one ring to Mordor or something.
Quote #9
"This is all that you would see. It is always like this, always dark." (23.8)
Trachimbrod is just a field, and it doesn't seem to matter if it's light or dark because there's nothing there. But for Not-Augustine, there's a double meaning. Her memories of Trachimbrod, and its discussion, are dark ones. From this point, the journey becomes more about exploring the memories of Trachimbrod than exploring the shtetl itself.