“[B]ack when they were a hot, tiny ball of dense singularity, Fig’s family was just a family.”

The passage uses a metaphor likening Fig's family to a “singularity,” referring to the universe's initial state before the Big Bang. The comparison suggests that Fig's family was once a closely knit entity, compact and indivisible. This imagery evokes a sense of primordial unity and potential, emphasizing the closeness and simplicity of the family in its earliest form. Fig's family started from a point of immense potential and togetherness, from which everything else in their lives has expanded and evolved. The family's relationships and dynamics will become more complex as they develop, introducing the theme of The Complexities of Family.

“You have to learn about the world by living in it. You have to learn about other people and their lives by overlapping yours with theirs.”

When India wants to quit high school, her mother gives her this advice: True understanding of the world and others comes from direct, personal engagement rather than passive observation. Empathy and knowledge are developed via shared experiences and interactions, something India will understand all too well as the story progresses and her life becomes inextricably intertwined with many people.

“She actually felt this sentence in her chest.”

India and Robbie have an instant attraction. The passage conveys the physical impact of India’s first meeting with Robbie, as she experiences an intense emotional and physical reaction.