How did rainsford end up on the island

- the mistakes that have been done in the past will repeat themselves

- you will trust all the wrong people

in the quotation from passage, connie willis states that literature is a way for authors from the past to communicate with readers of today. we can read their stories, books, and other texts to learn lessons about life. willis refers to these lessons as messages “from beyond the grave.” willis has a favorable viewpoint about the timelessness of literature.