Incredibly, I didn't mind any of this. On the contrary, I never wanted her to leave. If I'd had a roommate this interesting back at Vassar, I might've stayed in college. To my mind, Celia Ray was perfection. She was New York City's very distillation -- a glittering composite of sophistication and mystery. I would endure any filth or befouling, just to have access to her.
-- Vivian Morris (chapter 4)

Importance: This quote is significant because it underscores Vivian's interest in the showgirl lifestyle and Celia Ray in particular. Here, readers can see her fascination with Celia, New York City, and her own youth as Vivian is enamored by her surroundings for the first time. This is also one of the first indications in the novel that female interactions will play an important role in the development of Vivian as a character and narrator.

This is the image that I think of, Angela, whenever I...
-- Vivian Morris (chapter 5)