They would have to move, Sam always told Elena, if they wanted a life worth living. And Elena didn't disagree.
-- Narrator (Pages 3 - 58)

Importance: Sam sees her life on San Juan as a trap. She is desperate to escape the island, because she wants to pursue a life unhindered by her past. She has convinced herself that her sister Elena wants the same thing, because she is too afraid to confront the possibility that Elena's hopes and dreams do not align with her own. The construction of these lines reveals Sam's inability to face the truth, and her desperation to preserve the fantasy she has fabricated for her and Elena.

This was love: the two of them in the kitchen at the end of the day. The one bond that would last their whole lives.
-- Narrator (Pages 3 - 58)

Importance: Sam defines love and intimacy according to her relationship with her sister. She believes that her and Elena's dynamic...