How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Something in his voice struck me. There wasn't a trace of sarcasm. This thing that seemed like little more than game show to me was his only chance for happiness. (10.109)
America rightly sees the Selection as an overly elaborate, painfully vapid show of power, but Maxon takes it deadly seriously. This actually makes America like him more. Instead of being the vain, detached ruler that she expected him to be, Maxon is a sincere guy who has no desire to exploit his status for his own advantage.
Quote #5
"America, what did you think I wanted?" He sounded upset. More than upset. Offended. He had obviously guessed what I'd assumed, and he didn't like that one bit. (12.106)
We get that Maxon's feeling are hurt, but he's naive if he doesn't understand the nature of the Selection. He has all of the power in the situation; the girls have none. Now, we're not advocating throwing knees into crotches all willy-nilly, but it's hard to blame America given the circumstances.
Quote #6
I realized that if Maxon had simply been Maxon Schreave and not Maxon, future king of Illéa, he would be the kind of person I would have wanted to be my next-door neighbor. (13.119)
As America gets closer to Maxon, her assumptions about him keep on being proven false. He's not the spoiled brat she assumed him to be; he's really quite sensitive. He's not stiff and arrogant; he's just a tad shy. In this way, we see how Maxon is potentially limited by others' expectations of him, given his high status.