They Both Die at the End

They Both Die at the End

by

Adam Silvera

Lidia is Mateo’s best friend. About a year before the novel begins, Lidia had her daughter, Penny, which changed Lidia in a number of ways. Before, Lidia she got her hair done weekly and was a dedicated student—but having Penny meant that Lidia had to drop out of high school to care for her. Penny’s birth was also traumatic, since about a week before Penny was born, Lidia’s fiancé, Christian, received his Death-Cast alert and died—but because he was out of town and Lidia was so exhausted, she missed all his attempts to contact her and say goodbye. In the present, Lidia isn’t close with her parents, so she’s raising Penny alone with her grandmother, Abuelita. In Mateo’s opinion, Lidia is more beautiful than ever since having Penny, but Lidia feels like she looks tired all the time and so she never allows others to put pictures of her on social media. By the same token, Lidia thinks that Mateo’s Facebook page is a “wasteland,” but his social media presence is nevertheless something she finds comforting. Lidia and Mateo have been friends for years, and their relationship is extremely close—but they’re not the type of friends who constantly voice their affection for each other. Rather, both of them prefer to show the other that they care through their actions and their support. However, when Mateo chooses to not tell Lidia that he’s dying, it seriously hurts Lidia’s feelings. She’s simultaneously enraged and thrilled when Mateo contacts her and asks her to join them at the Travel Area. Lidia is also fully supportive when Mateo comes out as gay to her, and she offers to tell Mateo’s dad if neither Mateo nor Rufus have the chance to tell Dad themselves.

Lidia Quotes in They Both Die at the End

The They Both Die at the End quotes below are all either spoken by Lidia or refer to Lidia. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mortality, Life, and Meaning Theme Icon
).
September 5, 2017: Mateo Torrez, 12:22 a.m. Quotes

Fast-forward five years when Death-Cast came into the picture and suddenly everyone was awake at their own funerals. Having the chance to say goodbye before you die is an incredible opportunity, but isn’t that time better spent actually living? Maybe I would feel differently if I could count on people showing up to my funeral. If I had more friends than I do fingers.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia, Dad
Page Number: 7
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 3:14 a.m. Quotes

Rufus E. (3:19 a.m.): Hey, Mateo. Nice hat.

He not only responded, but he likes my Luigi hat from my profile picture. He’s already connecting to the person I want to become.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio (speaker), Lidia
Related Symbols: Photos
Page Number: 74
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 4:26 a.m. Quotes

But I wasn’t honest with Rufus because, on a deep level, I do believe partying on the train is my kind of scene. It’s just that the fear of disappointing others or making a fool of myself always wins.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio, Lidia
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 6:14 a.m. Quotes

This is Penny’s beginning. And one day she’ll find herself on the terrible end of a Death-Cast call and it sucks how we’re all being raised to die. Yes, we live, or we’re given the chance to, at least, but sometimes living is hard and complicated because of fear.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia, Penny
Page Number: 150
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 12:22 p.m. Quotes

Twelve hours ago I received the phone call telling me I’m going to die today. In my own Mateo way, I’ve said tons of goodbyes already [...] but the most important goodbye is the one I said to Past Mateo, who I left behind at home when my Last Friend accompanied me into a world that has it out for us. Rufus has done so much for me and I’m here to help him confront any demons following him [...]

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio, Lidia, Dad, Mateo’s Mom
Page Number: 227
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 3:26 p.m. Quotes

“Welcome to the World Travel Arena. Sorry to lose you three.”

“I’m not dying,” Lidia corrects.

“Oh. Cost for guests is going to be one hundred dollars,” the teller says. He looks at me and Rufus. “Suggested donation is one dollar for Deckers.”

I pay for all our tickets, donating an extra couple hundred dollars in the hope that the arena remains open for many, many years.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia (speaker), Rufus Emeterio, Victor, Deirdre
Page Number: 281
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 5:48 p.m. Quotes

“What am I going to do without you?”

This loaded question is the reason I didn’t want anyone to know I was dying. There are questions I can’t answer. I cannot tell you how you will survive without me. I cannot tell you how to mourn me. I cannot convince you to not feel guilty if you forget the anniversary of my death, or if you realize days or weeks or months have gone by without thinking about me.

I just want you to live.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia (speaker)
Page Number: 322-23
Explanation and Analysis:
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They Both Die at the End PDF

Lidia Quotes in They Both Die at the End

The They Both Die at the End quotes below are all either spoken by Lidia or refer to Lidia. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mortality, Life, and Meaning Theme Icon
).
September 5, 2017: Mateo Torrez, 12:22 a.m. Quotes

Fast-forward five years when Death-Cast came into the picture and suddenly everyone was awake at their own funerals. Having the chance to say goodbye before you die is an incredible opportunity, but isn’t that time better spent actually living? Maybe I would feel differently if I could count on people showing up to my funeral. If I had more friends than I do fingers.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia, Dad
Page Number: 7
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 3:14 a.m. Quotes

Rufus E. (3:19 a.m.): Hey, Mateo. Nice hat.

He not only responded, but he likes my Luigi hat from my profile picture. He’s already connecting to the person I want to become.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio (speaker), Lidia
Related Symbols: Photos
Page Number: 74
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 4:26 a.m. Quotes

But I wasn’t honest with Rufus because, on a deep level, I do believe partying on the train is my kind of scene. It’s just that the fear of disappointing others or making a fool of myself always wins.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio, Lidia
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 6:14 a.m. Quotes

This is Penny’s beginning. And one day she’ll find herself on the terrible end of a Death-Cast call and it sucks how we’re all being raised to die. Yes, we live, or we’re given the chance to, at least, but sometimes living is hard and complicated because of fear.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia, Penny
Page Number: 150
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 12:22 p.m. Quotes

Twelve hours ago I received the phone call telling me I’m going to die today. In my own Mateo way, I’ve said tons of goodbyes already [...] but the most important goodbye is the one I said to Past Mateo, who I left behind at home when my Last Friend accompanied me into a world that has it out for us. Rufus has done so much for me and I’m here to help him confront any demons following him [...]

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio, Lidia, Dad, Mateo’s Mom
Page Number: 227
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 3:26 p.m. Quotes

“Welcome to the World Travel Arena. Sorry to lose you three.”

“I’m not dying,” Lidia corrects.

“Oh. Cost for guests is going to be one hundred dollars,” the teller says. He looks at me and Rufus. “Suggested donation is one dollar for Deckers.”

I pay for all our tickets, donating an extra couple hundred dollars in the hope that the arena remains open for many, many years.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia (speaker), Rufus Emeterio, Victor, Deirdre
Page Number: 281
Explanation and Analysis:
Mateo, 5:48 p.m. Quotes

“What am I going to do without you?”

This loaded question is the reason I didn’t want anyone to know I was dying. There are questions I can’t answer. I cannot tell you how you will survive without me. I cannot tell you how to mourn me. I cannot convince you to not feel guilty if you forget the anniversary of my death, or if you realize days or weeks or months have gone by without thinking about me.

I just want you to live.

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Lidia (speaker)
Page Number: 322-23
Explanation and Analysis: