How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I would be the best of us, the Highest of the Lows. It gave me a sense of purpose. America Singer: the champion of the lower castes. (7.6)
Instead of internalizing the upper castes' nastiness toward her, America decides to take their bourgie lemons and turn them into some good old working-class lemonade. Atta girl. We doubt many other people would be so fearless if they were in the same position.
Quote #8
I looked around the room to see how the other Fives were enjoying their meals. That was when I noticed that I was the only Five left. (12.8)
That's telling, isn't it? Maxon is a pretty swell guy, but it seems that even he has a bit of subconscious bias against the lower castes. Knowing this, we can't help but wonder if America might have met a similar fate if she hadn't made such a striking first impression. What do you think?
Quote #9
"He kept it all for himself. Trying to buy his way up?"
I nodded. "He's got his heart set on being a Two. If he was happy being a Three or Four, he could have bought that title and helped us, but he's obsessed." (15.86-87)
America's older brother Kota hit it big after making a wildly popular sculpture, which led him to abandon his family in a quest to climb the caste ladder. It's a real bummer of a story. The really interesting part, though, is what this teaches us about the Illéan caste system—you can, quite literally, buy your way to a higher status. Uh huh. We see how it is.