Reader Response

"'It is the strict adherence to daily routine that tends towards the maintenance of good morale and the preservation of sanity,' he says out loud. He has the feeling he is quoting from a book, some obsolete, ponderous directive written in aid of European colonials running plantations of one kind or another. He can't recall ever having read such a thing, but that means nothing."

This passage stands out to me because it reminds me of when I have some sort of quote stuck in my head, whether it be from a television show or simply a song lyric. I recite it over and over in my head trying to recall where I got it from until I can find a computer to Google it and end my curiosity. For the character in this book, there is no way for him to find out where it's from. This also stands out to me because of the way he quotes the line to himself. Snowman is stuck in this endless routine for survival. He says it to himself to remind himself that he gets up everyday for a reason, and even though his circumstances are very extreme, I think we all need that reminder sometimes.

Allusion: I decided to look up the quote he says and it turns out it is from a book called Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. The novel was published in 1969.