How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Maybe it was that simple. After all, who asks why otters toboggan down mudbanks? But that didn't make it any less stupid or rotten a thing to do. The hatred in Mars Bar's eyes was no longer for a white kid in the East End; it was for Jeffrey Magee, period. (38.45)
Hey, this is kind of breakthrough! Mars hates Maniac for himself, not for the color of his skin. Baby steps.
Quote #8
Let the revolt begin. Let the 'rebels,' as they called the East Enders, come. Let 'em bust through the newly installed bars over the plywood on the windows. Let 'em bust through the steel door. They'll find themselves staring down the barrel of a little surprise. They squabbled over what the surprise should be. Uzi. AK-47. Bazooka. (39.22)
Um, this goes beyond a little ignorance and is just plain scary. Grayson's racism is weird, but the McNabs are actually prepping for a war. Cray-cray.
Quote #9
The pillbox was under way, no longer an idea in the backyard but a reality in the dining room. Now there was no room that Maniac could stand in the middle of and feel clean. Now there was something else in that house, and it smelled worse than garbage and turds. (39.35-37)
That's right: it smells like racism. A big, steaming, nasty pile of racism. We have to ask: why is Maniac still sticking around through this? Are the little McNab kids really worth it?