How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Perhaps indeed he was [suffering from delusions]; for he had half convinced himself that the bright ellipse set against the dark background of the satellite was a huge empty eye, staring at him as he approached. (35.3)
Again, a moment of cosmic dream spookiness. There's an eye out there looking at him: the aliens are watching—and of course we're watching too. If Bowman is a dream or hope of humanity, then he's your dream and hope as well. You can see why having all those dreams and hopes focused on him would make him nervous.
Quote #8
They tinkered with the destiny of many species, on land and in the ocean. But which of their experiments would succeed they could not know for at least a million years. (37.8)
The aliens plan across millennia. We have trouble planning what we're gonna eat for dinner this evening. That's the difference between being us and an all-powerful alien species, we suppose.
Quote #9
He had missed its builders by ages, and with that realization Bowman felt a sudden sinking of his heart...
Well, it was unreasonable to expect more. Already he had seen wonders for which many men would have sacrificed their lives. (42.22-23)
Bowman figures he's going to die out in space all alone and is upset…but then he immediately chastises himself for getting depressed and figures he should look on the bright side. Talk about weirdly cheerful. It's annoying.