Crossed

“I see too many things. I always have. Words and pictures connect together in my mind in strange ways and I notice details wherever I am.”

Ky’s artistic eye is his defining feature as a character. He and Cassia share this attention to detail and tendency to think in figurative, poetic language. This tendency leads him to recite the last stanza of Tennyson’s poem over the dead.

“I mark my course by people: Xander, a point on the map; my parents, another point; Ky, the final destination. When Xander moves, the geography of everything changes.”

This quote summarizes Cassia’s conflict over the Xander-Ky love triangle. Cassia relies on Xander as a constant, steady presence in her life, but she’s not willing to return the favor. Although she still plans to escape the Society and reconnect with Ky, she can’t fathom losing Xander. Until Cassia comes to terms with her feelings, the points on her map will always be in flux.

“The Officer smiles. The Society isn’t human but the people who work for it sometimes are.”

Vick wins a small victory for the decoys when he gets their Officer to promise more clean water and extra supplies. This quote details Ky’s overall approach to trust: He won’t give himself to an institution, but he will give himself to the right person.