How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
She had not been in that part of the country for many years, and of course there had been changes. (1)
That "of course" seems important. Not only does it establish a narrative tone, it suggests that change is inevitable, unavoidable, unconstitutional (okay, maybe not unconstitutional, but you get the idea). This will be an important theme throughout the story.
Quote #2
The Woodses' house. She had always remembered it as having eight doors, but it seemed there were only four. (3)
Right from the start we are introduced to the story's setting in the context of how it has changed. In this quote, the way Grace remembers the Woodses' house does not match up with how it actually appears, revealing a level of uncertainty and unreliability of Grace's memories. How does the unreliability of memory affect our perception of change? To what extent can we be certain of the truth of Grace's memories from that summer long ago if we are so quickly reminded that memories are not always accurate?
Quote #3
To find something so diminished…might be less hurtful in the long run. (7)
Why might it be better for Grace to not find the Traverses' summer house just as she remembers it? This quote hints at a certain comfort we find in the inevitability of change—a sentiment that is important to keep in mind while reading this story. We might not always like change, but we probably wouldn't want things to always stay the same either.