“Our mothers always said to look hard at the things of this world that are owies on the eyes because they will put more colors in your inner rainbow.”
This quote encourages readers to look past the physical appearance of things and find beauty in the difficult and unpleasant aspects of life. They must examine the negative aspects of life, the "owies on the eyes," and seek out the color and beauty within them. This can be challenging, but it is an essential part of understanding and appreciating their surroundings. The quote also encourages them to cultivate empathy and compassion for those who are in need. By doing so, the readers will be able to see the world through their own eyes, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation for it as a result.
“Disorientation can be a very interesting space to occupy as a writer, Samantha. You should try it as an exercise over the holidays. It could be quite illuminating for you, I think.”
According to Fosco's quote, disorientation can be a useful approach for a writer to explore. Writers can gain a new perspective on their work and the topics they are writing about by allowing themselves to become disoriented. Disorientation can also lead to increased creativity because it forces a writer to explore and challenge their existing ideas and assumptions to come up with new and interesting ways of expressing their thoughts and ideas. This is something Fosco believes Samantha would benefit from, as it could help her gain a new perspective on her writing and the topics she is researching.
“Why do you lie so much? And about the weirdest little things?", my mother always asked me. "I don’t know", I always said. But I did know. It was very simple. Because it was a better story.”
This quote emphasizes the power of storytelling and how it can be used both positively and negatively. Samantha, the speaker, has been lying to her mother about the "weirdest little things" to escape the reality of her life and create a better story for herself. While lying can be used to deceive, it can also be used to make one's life more exciting and interesting. This quote implies that Samantha has been fabricating a story that is more appealing and captivating than the reality of her life. Samantha finally admits that she has made up a lot of her own stories and how much power these stories give her.
“Don’t trade one kind of blindness for another.”
"Don't trade one kind of blindness for another" refers to the idea of being aware of the consequences of your decisions and not taking risks that could put you in a worse situation than you were before. Ava encourages Smackie to take a few risks and "learn to kill her spiders," metaphorically speaking, rather than relying on others to solve her problems. Ava is warning Smackie not to substitute one type of naivety or irresponsibility for another, as this could have far-reaching consequences. The quote also implies that being able to see clearly and make informed decisions is essential if one is to succeed.
