I knew that the honorable thing to do—the Lakota way—was to set Guv free without any more punishment. Fuck that.
-- Virgil (chapter 1)

Importance: This quotation shows Virgil's way of dealing with anger early on in the novel, veering towards retribution rather than mercy, but it also shows his struggle between his desire for his own brand of justice and Lakota values. At the time, he is in the midst of beating Guv Yellowhawk, a man who has raped a girl and sexually assaulted other young people. Virgil's own anger towards Guv is shown dominating his thoughts. As the novel progresses, he finds it more difficult to justify the violence inherent in his vigilante work and the inner conflict he feels pushes him to re-examine his priorities.

How was it that I could remember some shitty disco song from years ago but couldn’t remember my mother’s own words?
-- Virgil (chapter 4)

Importance: This quote...