The Simple Wild: A Novel

“And why, as I stand here mentally going through Corey’s best attributes, do I feel like I’m convincing myself of them?”

This quote reflects Calla's inner conflict and self-awareness regarding her relationship with Corey. The fact that Calla feels like she must mentally list Corey’s redeeming qualities and convince herself of them indicates her insecurity about her relationship and their compatibility. She’s trying to convince herself because, deep down, she is not emotionally satisfied or fulfilled by the relationship.

“I only ever saw him through the enchanted eyes of a little girl who desperately wanted to meet the quiet man on the other side of the phone.”

This quote reveals Calla's feelings regarding the relationship with her father. It captures her innocent idealization of him and her longing to have a relationship with him growing up. Calla’s words also relay the pain of estrangement she felt as she grew and matured, highlighting her evolving perspective on her relationship with her father. Referring to him as just a man on a phone underscores their physical and emotional distance.

“Whatever magic there was in the beginning has been fizzling away, like a slow leak in a tire after it has taken a nail. You could go on for months without knowing something’s wrong, until one day you end up stranded on the side of the road with a flat.”

Using a metaphor to describe the gradual decline of the relationship, Calla’s thoughts reveal her feelings of disillusionment about the unnoticed erosion of love and her eventual realization of the relationship's deterioration. The metaphor of a slow leak implies the hazard of ignoring minor problems in relationships that later evolve into more significant issues. The comparison of feeling stranded conveys Calla’s loneliness and isolation now that she’s admitted the truth.