The first quote is an example of how much this time had an impact in history. The second quote is the authors way of telling us that the mothers fear was obvious to the little girl. It was also a way for us to realize that the holocaust was a time of fear. The third quote explains what the girl saw when she as taken, and is a good way of providing the read with a vivid image of what it would be like to live her life in that time. Finally, the fourth quote is a symbol for all the people who could have helped during the holocaust, but stood aside in order to protect themselves instead.