Maybe the machine could see the words she never spoke. Maybe they blazed in her bones. Maybe if the people in the white coats blew up the pictures they’d see her thoughts, mapped like mountains and railroad tracks against her skull.”
-- Hanna (Chapter 1)

Importance: This quote shows Hanna’s feelings of helplessness in the adult world, and gives a brief glimpse into her decision not to speak. Hanna senses the importance of the CT scan, but does not understand why she is being subjected to the procedure. However, she knows that her refusal to talk is met with disapproval by her parents and teachers, who try to pry language out of her. In response, Hanna clings to her words in an attempt to feel in control, though she frequently worries that she will lose self-control and accidentally speak, or that somehow the adults will succeed and force her to express her inner-most...