How we cite our quotes: (Part.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Oh break the goddamn things. I hate them."
"Why don't you have your eyes fixed?" (2.4-2.5)
Notice how our symbol of appearances, Brenda's glasses, combines deftly with the nose job issue. Neil may think Brenda is mutilating herself to fit in and rejecting her Jewish heritage in the process. In typical Rothian comic irony, Neil is hurting her and criticizing her because of—that's right—her appearance.
Quote #5
"Has a little Negro boy passed the desk? With a thick accent? He's been hiding in the art books all morning. You know what those boys do in there." (3.22)
As is clear from the rest of the conversation, John McKee thinks that because the boy is black, he can't be reading in the stacks and is probably damaging the books. As we learn from his conversation with Neil, the boy knows full well that many people see him this way.
Quote #6
In the entire house, I hadn't seen one picture of Mr. Patimkin. (3.87)
We know that Ron and Brenda got their noses from their father and that the family doesn't think this is a good thing. Is this connected to why there aren't any pictures of him in this house? Or, maybe he just doesn't like having his picture taken? What do you think?