How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph). We used Justin O'Brien's translation.
Quote #1
Friendship is less simple. It is long and hard to obtain, but when one has it there’s no getting rid of it; one simply has to cope with it (2.16).
Jean-Baptiste appears to be "imprisoned’ by both his isolation and his ties to others. Quite the predicament.
Quote #2
Just between us, slavery, preferably with a smile, is inevitable then. But we must not admit it. Isn’t it better that whoever cannot do without having slaves should call them free men? For the principle to begin with, and, secondly, not to drive them to despair. We owe them that compensation, don’t we? In that way, they will continue to smile and we shall maintain our good conscience (3.8).
This is important. Really important, especially when you get to the end of The Fall. Jean-Baptiste seems to think he is free, but we have to wonder if he’s merely given himself the illusion of freedom or if he’s actually free.
Quote #3
The only deep emotion I occasionally felt in these affairs was gratitude, when all was going well and I was left, not only peace, but freedom to come and go – never kinder and gayer with one woman than when I had just left another’s bed, as if I extended to all others the debt I had just contracted toward one of them (3.30).
This is odd, since Jean-Baptiste initially sought women out as an escape from the imprisonment he felt in the company of men. According to our narrator, 2omen can also be sources of confinement.