“Out in the early evening air of Seattle, I take a deep breath. It doesn’t begin to fill the void in my chest […] a void that’s been present since Saturday morning­--a painful hollow reminder of my loss.”

Ana ruminates about her and Christian’s breakup. Her focus on feeling broken demonstrates her dependence on Christian. The repetition of the word “void” underscores the loss.

“It’s very confusing being with you. You don’t want me to defy you, but then you like my smart mouth. You want obedience except when you don’t so you can punish me. I just don’t know which way is up when I am with you.”

Ana points out Christian’s hypocrisy. This line illustrates Ana’s willingness to challenge Christian’s control and power, which both frustrates and excites him.

“‘I have spent all my adult life trying to avoid any extreme emotion. Yet you…you bring out feelings in me that are completely alien. It’s very…’ He frowns, grasping for the word. ‘Unsettling. I like control, Ana, and around you that just’—he stands, his gaze intense— ‘evaporates.’”

Christian’s desire to have Ana in his life outweighs his desire for control. Christian’s ability to have a “normal” relationship is a central conflict in the book summed up in this quote.