These ancestors are the foundation upon which I have built my life. I have dreamt of them, wrestled with them, longed for them. I have tried to understand them. In my writing, they have been my territory—my obsession, you might even say. They are the tangled roots—thick, rich, and dark—that bind me to the turning earth. During younger years when I was lost—particularly after my dad’s death—I used them as my inner compass.
-- Dani Shapiro (chapter 3)

Importance: This quote is reflective of where Dani is at emotionally and psychologically at the beginning of the book. It highlights her strong connection to her familial inheritance and well as how she has used her ancestors and their legacy to guide her and shape who she is. Understanding the strong connection Dani has always felt to her ancestors and how she has relied upon them to shape her identity highlights and...