Being an Intellectual
Occasionally I lifted a finger to turn the page and allowed the heavy and confusing syntax to drift down through my eyes and into my brain like fluid. I'm bettering myself, I thought. I'm going to become so smart that no one will understand me.”
The simile of seeking knowledge and comparing it to ‘fluid’ encapsulates the very essence of Frances herself. She seeks to continuously improve herself intellectually in the hopes that this will make her better than others.
Meditation
"My mind felt empty, like the inside of a glass jar"
Here, Frances is trying to meditate in order to clear her mind, and it seems to be working. It’s unusual for Frances’ mind to be completely “empty” as she is always striving to be the smartest by seeking knowledge.
