How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Line)
Quote #7
Standing there in the snow, with all those kids standing around, it came to me—his calmness, his hair, the paleness of his skin—he'd always had to walk through the world this way, push through. Maybe he'd met a whole bunch of Trevors in his life. Maybe he'd go on meeting them." (14.42)
When Frannie sees Jesus Boy getting picked on by Trevor, she can't help but think about how it must be awful to be so different. That kid's probably been made fun of by all sorts of mean kids—Trevor isn't the first bully to come along in his life.
Quote #8
"It frees him," he said. "All that stuff that makes him mad and mean and ugly leaves him when he does stuff to other people." (18.7)
Why doesn't Trevor want to get close to anyone? He just likes to pick on people and be in control because it makes him feel momentarily better about himself. The idea of actually opening up to someone is probably terrifying to him.
Quote #9
"Now what we're going to do this morning," she said, her voice becoming all bright again. "Is write down the things we all have in common." (18.21)
Ms. Johnson is a smart lady—she can tell when the kids in her class aren't getting along, and when they're keeping someone out of the inner circle because he's different. She has them do a writing assignment so that the cogs in their brains can start turning.