Choices Quotes in The Forest of Hands and Teeth

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

It is only Harry in the firelight, his skin warm and smelling of fresh-turned soil. And I cannot help but hear Sister Tabitha's words repeat themselves around the room. About this being the life I have been given.

Not the life I have chosen. (13.51-52)

Not gonna lie, it's not a terrible life to be given. A loving husband, warm home, promise of safety? There are plenty of peeps that would kill for such a life.

Quote #8

I wonder if I have ruined any chance for Travis and me to be together because I didn't wait for him until the end.

Because I chose to Bind myself to Harry. Because I gave up on Travis. On love. (16.54-55)

There you go, Mary. She admits here that she gave up on love, that she actually chose life with Harry. Strangely enough, Mary later flip-flops and acts all offended that Travis didn't come for her. But she didn't do much on her side, either. Mary, Mary, quite contrary.

Quote #9

"And then what? What will happen after that?"

"And then we will find a way out of this village and we can go down that path and we can find the outside world," I say to him in a rush of words. "It's like we always said—"

"It's like you always said," Travis cuts me off. He won't meet my eyes. (25.18-20)

Mary is so wrapped up in her dreams and choices that she assumes everyone else must be too, especially the people she loves. But like Travis says here, sometimes her choices are only her choices. Still, we've got to cut Mary a little slack—Travis did tell her earlier that he wanted to know what was outside of the village, so he's the one flip-flopping here and Mary's not totally bonkers after all.