Nonetheless there he was, staring at them quite deliberately and making no attempt to hide it, as if he could see past their fleshy outlines and deep inside them, into the places where they hid their weaknesses and embarrassments.
-- Narrator (One paragraph Page 7)

Importance: In this quote, Alice is reflecting on Thomas Bayber, whom she believes to be a man of uncommon honesty. Thomas does, indeed, have the ability to look at people and see what makes them work, but usually not for the noble reasons that Alice seems to have assigned him. More often than not--such as the case with Alice, Natalie, and Finch--Thomas uses these insights to manipulate people into doing what he wants them to do. Thomas's own weakness is his ability to see people but his inability to truly connect with them, which leaves him ultimately alone in the end.

Birds are perfect. Yet most people completely overlook them.
-- Alice (One paragraph Page 13)

Importance: Alice bears...