One morning, well before it was time to lie down, she looked over at the pillow and blanket and soft leather and realized, with a shudder that seemed to chill and warm her both, that she was filled with longing.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: Over the course of Zorrie's life, she has learned how to hide from her sorrow and loss in hard work. However, in her old age, Zorrie realizes that her body is weakening and thus keeping her from performing the manual labor she has relied upon for emotional distraction. In this passage, Zorrie's physical body has become so fragile, that her emotional center takes over. This sudden surge of longing that she feels not only reawakens Zorrie's past but triggers a narrative shift into flashback. The passage also contributes to the author's thematic explorations regarding longing, memory, and time.

He said that someday great tales would be written about radium, that...
-- Narrator (chapter 1)