How we cite our quotes: ("Story Name," Paragraph)
Quote #4
He saw the dim faces of dear relatives long dead and mantled with moss as Grandfather lit the tiny candle and let the warm air breathe up to form the balloon plumply luminous in his hands, a shining vision which they held, reluctant to let it go; for, once released, it was yet another year gone from life, another Fourth, another bit of Beauty vanished. ("The Fire Balloons," 84)
Father Peregrine remembers the fireworks of his childhood, which give this story its name. Bradbury has Peregrine think about these fireworks at the beginning of the story (1), in the middle (84), and at the end (222). It's almost as though his whole quest for God is simply an attempt to recover some of the magical wonder of this childhood ritual.
Quote #5
Honking the horn and him slamming his door, a gun in his hand, laughing to himself, his heart racing like a ten-year-old's, driving off down the summer-night road, a ring of hemp rope coiled on the car floor, fresh shell boxes making every man's coat look bunchy. ("Way in the Middle of the Air," 186)
This is Samuel Teece's memory of spending nights terrorizing and even murdering his black neighbors. Awesome, right? Here's another example of why sometimes it's better to forget the past—or at least stop idealizing it.
Quote #6
"We came here to enjoy our old age in peace, not to think of Tom. He's been dead so long now, we should try to forget him and everything on Earth." ("The Martian," 11)
This is Anna LaFarge making the case for forgetting the past, so it's ironic that she's the one who clings to the idea that this Martian is her son. In other words, she remembers the good part (we have a son) and forgets the bad (our son is dead). Now that's what you call a selective memory.