How we cite our quotes: (Part.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"From what I've learned about people, there seems to be two armies fightin' about race. One fightin' to keep 'em apart, and one's fightin' to get 'em together. But I don't see why both sides are so worried about it! Why don't they just forget it?"
"They can't. You see, Gerry, it's necessary to believe they are superior in some fashion." (2.8.24-25)
Gerry argues for a sort of color-blind approach to race. Stern argues that people can't forget race because people must believe they are superior in some fashion, perhaps in terms of power. There are other arguments, of course, but these are the two that show up here. We take Gerry's side.
Quote #8
He staggered back, his hand over his eyes. There was a gabbling shriek in the room, it went on and on, split and spun around itself. He peeped through his fingers.
Thompson was reeling, his head drawn back and down almost to his shoulderblades. He kicked and elbowed backward. Holding him, her hands over his eyes, her knee in the small of his back, was Bonnie, and it was from her the gabbling came.
Hip came forward running [...] His fist sank into the taut solar plexus and Thompson went down soundlessly. (3.16.98-100)
This courageous move on Bonnie's part allows Hip to subdue Gerry. It is the most consequential action taken by a twin in the novel, and is crucial to the plot.
Quote #9
"Beat it, Bonnie!"
She left—blip!—like a squirted appleseed. (3.16.119-120)
After saving the day, the twin teleports away. This passage is arguably representative of how the twins are given just a small role in the book. They're almost like squirted appleseeds that go from place to place when the plot needs them, but they do have more personality than that, such as when they befriend Janie.