Content Warning: This section of the study guide contains mentions of drugs, violence, and sexual assault.

“I believed that we are masters of our own fate. Now I know that just the opposite is probably true. You are the sum of what happens to you, a pinball, bouncing from bumper to bumper, hoping the impact of the flippers won’t hurt much.”

In the prologue, Leo explains how his feelings on fate have shifted. Leo uses pinball imagery to show how out of his control he often feels when buffeted by unforeseen events. This quote introduces pinball imagery as a symbol of the unpredictable nature of life.

“We all have wild impulses from who-knows-where. In my case, I know exactly where. Mine come from McMurphy. The only connection between genetics and being a Republican is that I joined the G.O.P. to help myself control McMurphy.”

Leo explains his wild side, named McMurphy, and how he attempts to suppress it through his Republican lifestyle. This quote introduces McMurphy, which Leo sees as a separate piece of his psyche. McMurphy acts as a motif for the Genetics and Identity theme as the novel goes on.

“Melinda wasn’t just a music fan. She lived and breathed music. At least she called it music.”

Melinda’s obsession with music is a core part of her personality. Melinda, who dresses in goth and punk attire, expresses herself through her passion for heavy music, which Leo disdains. Her devotion to her preferred art form relates to the theme of Music and Self-Expression.