How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
But it was no big secret that the thing worrying me the most was collecting the money for the newspapers each week on Friday night.
The idea of going up to a house and ringing a doorbell was swelling my insides. The reason I hate talking to people who don't know me is because when they first see me I look like every other kid. (1.20-21)
True courage is having the strength to do the things that terrify you. Even though Victor hates the idea of going to collect money for the paper route, he goes along with it anyway. He can do this thing… he just has to believe in himself.
Quote #2
My first doorbell of the night had gone better than I had expected. I had gotten my first tip and I was feeling better about the collecting. The biggest problem was that I had broken the point off my pencil and I didn't have my knife to sharpen it. (3.44)
Maybe this money collecting thing won't be so bad after all. Victor does get stuck on some words but he uses one of his tricks to help with his stutter—he throws his pencil while he says the word so that the action distracts him from concentrating too much on the sound. Cool trick.
Quote #3
The only thing to do was to make another run at the sound by taking another deep breath and starting over. The thought of another breath tightened me even more and so against all good reason and against my teacher's rules I held my breath and continued to try to push out the sound with all my might. (3.62)
Victor is trying not to shy away from the things that scare him. He wants to push through and do what he fears the most—speaking to a stranger who doesn't know that he stutters. He definitely makes the effort when he first meets Mr. Spiro… but then he passes out. Oops.