“Chris notices that Dick is flirting with her, his vast intelligence straining beyond the po-mo rhetoric and words to evince some essential loneliness that only she and he can share.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The quote establishes a third-person perspective of the interaction between Chris and Dick during the initial dinner when he flirts with her.

The thoughts that come to mind are pretty distasteful: ménage à trois, the willing husband…all three of us are too sophisticated to deal in such dreary archetypes.
-- Sylvère (chapter 1)

Importance: The quote demonstrates Sylvère’s attempt to control his role and perspective on the affair. This is not about his sexual exploration or attraction to Dick. Instead, this is the way in which Sylvère revives his attraction to his wife.

Thinking about it later, these letters seem to open up a new genre, something in between cultural criticism and fiction.
-- Sylvère (chapter 1)

Importance: The quote indicates Sylvère’s acknowledgement of...