How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
And I knew in an instant that this was not the same boy who had been coming to us with his battered old suitcase all these weeks. This was a different boy, and I knew, even before I set one foot inside his house, that here in this place, he was a much-loved boy. (8.13)
Cletus may be an oddball at school, but at home he calms down a lot. It's as though he's a different person when he's in his home because he feels secure and free from judgment.
Quote #8
I felt in me an embarrassing sense of pride that she was ours. That we weren't just shut-down old coal mines and people on welfare like the rest of the country wanted to believe we were. We were this majestic, elegant thing sitting solid, sparkling in the light. (9.24)
West Virginia may not be the most impressive place to the rest of the world, but it's home for Uncle Ob, Summer, and Cletus. Seeing the capitol just reinforces their belief that their home is special and worth loving—it shouldn't be overlooked at all.
Quote #9
I laid my head on his shoulder, so grateful he was still here with me, grateful even for Cletus, who I knew was somewhere in the trailer, waiting. (11.24)
Their trip to the capitol building may have been wondrous and magical, but it's still good to be home at the end of the day. Summer learns to be grateful for all the things that are familiar and comfortable—even Cletus.