How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
One might as well feel the same emotions about a skyscraper, for example, yet [Renfrew's laboratory] was no greater than a man—men made it, not the other way round. The universe of artifacts as a human one. (1.46)
Renfrew's laboratory is a place where experiments are carried out to discern truths about the natural world. But at the same time, the mechanics provide a buffer between man and nature—one of several buffers, both mental and physical, we'll see throughout the novel.
Quote #2
"We have to take the large view. The Emergency Council has been in session since nine this morning. There has been another full-scale dieback in North Africa due to drought and lack of food reverses. You'll hear more about it in the news in due course, no doubt. Meanwhile, this and other emergencies have to take priority. North Africa's not the only trouble spot. There's a large diatom bloom off the South American coast, too. Thousands of people are dying in both places." (4.34)
If you live in the so-called developed world, you probably hear news about droughts or famine in other countries. Horrible as these natural catastrophes are, they are still taking place there as opposed to here. But as the novel progresses, it shows that disasters, especially ecological ones, are world problems. It is, after all, the same world regardless of the country you live in.
Quote #3
Gordon said, "Oh? Why?" and sat down across the desk from Lakin, next to the window. Outside, bulldozers were knocking over some of the eucalyptus trees in preparation for the chemistry building, grunting mechanically. (8.5)
The 1960s are not suffering the ecological disasters of 1998, but in a sly moment, the novel shows many images that provide thematic links between this era and its environmentally damaged future. Here is one of our favorites.