Fatima loved the people here because they didn’t try to pretend that the world was uncomplicated. Life is tough, it hurts, and people admitted that.
-- Fatima (10: "How Do You Tell Your Children?")

Importance: In this passage, Fatima identifies with the philosophy of her Beartown community. The quote teaches the reader about the members of Beartown, their acknowledgement of life’s difficulties, as well as their resilience. The quote also teaches the reader about Fatima as an individual. When she came to Beartown she was initially an outsider. As a single mother and a hard worker, Fatima is able to identify with her new community through their awareness of life’s trials. The author uses this window into Fatima’s interiority to foreshadow difficulties to come. Just as the town knows it will have to face painful struggles, so does the reader. This moment grants the reader further entrance into the uncomplicated world of Beartown, and underscores the...