How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
And maybe one day when you're all grown up maybe you will need to cry like if you're three, and that's okay. That's what I tell Mama when she's sad and needs to cry. Maybe she's feeling three. (2)
Family is a haven in "Eleven." At home, Rachel and her mother are free to share their feelings without fear of judgment or being shunned. As for school, well, you've been to school, right? Kids and teachers can both be pretty harsh.
Quote #2
Today I wish I was one hundred and two instead of eleven because if I was one hundred and two I'd have known what to say when Mrs. Price put the red sweater on my desk. (5)
You've heard the saying, 'might makes right,' right? Right. Well in the micro-society we call school, age makes right. Rachel wants to be older because that gives her the edge in a place where adults are always telling children what to do.
Quote #3
Maybe because I'm skinny, maybe because she doesn't like me, that stupid Sylvia Saldivar says, "I think it belongs to Rachel." An ugly sweater like that, all raggedy and old, but Mrs. Price believes her. (9)
Later in the story, we'll see how different family life and school life are for Rachel. We're not sure Sylvia said this to try and hurt Rachel; she might have genuinely thought it belonged to Rachel. Still, if it had been at home, it seems that Rachel's feelings would have factored into things a bit more.