Apeirogon

“A swan can be as fatal to the pilot as a rocket-propelled grenade.”

This line continues the thematic equivalency between weapons, humans, and birds. One could take this to mean that nature itself is dangerous but that human technology and progress is equally dangerous to nature. The swan cannot be fatal if there is no plane in the sky, just as rocket launchers are our own inventions of destruction.

“Beyond their immediate calls of distress, it is not known exactly how, or even if, different species of birds communicate with one another.”

Here, McCann is continuing his allusions between birds and humans, particularly the birds that move through the West Bank region. This quote can be seen as an allegory for the Palestinian and Israeli people—they are unable to communicate, except in times of great distresses like the distress call of birds. This is immediately reflected in the story of Bassam and Rami’s relationship, which develops out of extreme distress.

“Bassam and Rami gradually came to understand that they would use the force of their grief as a weapon.”

This sentence comes early in the novel, before the reader has a complete idea of the trajectory and scope of Bassam and Rami’s connection and friendship. The force of the sentence is apparent, particularly within the context of the extreme loss that both men have gone through. What is important is that this sentence, which takes up a whole section, comes after McCann has just been discussing an actual weapon, Semtex explosives, and the harm it can cause.