Dicey's Song Poverty Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Gram didn’t like taking charity, Dicey knew that because Gram said so. For that matter, neither did she. But Gram had said, when she finally agreed to take them in, that that might be what they had to do. (3.178)

Gram’s acceptance of welfare to raise Dicey and her siblings, despite how much it wounds her ego, is a major sign of how much she loves them. It takes a lot of affection to make someone swallow their pride.

Quote #5

Dicey followed suit. She studied the prices. She found the three cheapest things and then looked to see what they were. When Gram asked her what she wanted, she said, "Spaghetti." (4.124)

Poor Dicey is always thinking about what other people need instead of what she wants. Her identity is so wrapped up in taking care of others that even on a special day in a restaurant, we don’t see her think about what she might actually like to eat.

Quote #6

The pen wrote: F. Nobody could live for long on meals like this, the pen wrote. The letters were straight and short, bright and thick and angry.

Dicey almost said, We did. (6.136-137)

Miss Eversleigh, Dicey’s home ec teacher, wins the Clueless Teacher of the Year award by a landslide. Also the jerkface award, but that's for another day.