Highly Illogical Behavior

“Solomon lived in the only world that would have him. And even though it was quiet and mundane and sometimes lonely, it never got out of control.” 

This quote emphasizes two important layers to the novel. First, that the foundation of Solomon’s condition is his desire to avoid chaos. Second, this quote parallels the lesson Lisa learns in the last chapter of the novel: that it’s not Solomon who needs to be cured, it’s the world that needs to be a more welcoming space for people like him.

“It was innocent enough, but he hoped she wasn’t actually that desperate for him to change. Because, if she was, then wouldn’t these little moments, built up over time, eventually collapse into a mess?” 

When Valerie first brings up a girl named Lisa who has been at the office asking after Solomon, Solomon worries it’s another way of his mother hinting that he should reconsider going out into the world. At this point, Solomon is certain that the life he has chosen is the best one for him. This quote is a moment of foreshadowing, as the little sparks of hopes and dreams his parents have for him do implode when he regresses months later. 

“She never knew him, really, but she’d always thought he looked nice, like the kind of guy who’d hold a door open for someone else without a thought. And she’d always hoped that someday she’d see him again or, at the very least, hear that he was doing okay.” 

This quote represents the interest Lisa has always had in Solomon. Although most of his classmates have long forgotten about his episode in the fountain, Lisa has not. It is true that Lisa thinks of him for her own purposes, but the fact is that Lisa does think of him. That Lisa had always had the sense that Solomon is a decent person is indicative of a predestined friendship that both eventually benefit from.