In Margaret Atwood's "The Year of the Flood," a character named Zeb compares a collection of sensitive materials to the Vatican's secretive archives. He suggests that just as the Vatican carefully guards its controversial content, they too are responsible for protecting their own valuable yet potentially scandalous items. This analogy emphasizes the theme of secrecy and the significance of preserving certain aspects of knowledge from the outside world.

The quote underlines the tension between the desire for transparency and the need for discretion. Zeb's comment reflects a broader commentary on how society handles controversial information and the moral implications of guarding such knowledge. It raises questions about what should be kept safe and why, suggesting that there is an inherent value in protecting certain truths from the public eye.