Quote 1
"Mama, he smiled. He's all there! He's all there!" (1.5)
This is a positive example of pride in the story. Brother is the first to recognize that Doodle is an intelligent child. It's a little chilling when we know that six-year-old Brother wanted to kill Doodle when he though he wasn't intelligent. The story tries to show that people should be valued for the simple fact that they are alive, despite any physical or mental disabilities.
Quote 2
"You can do it. Do you want to be different from everybody else when you start school?"
This might seem like a weird quote to put in this theme. But we think it shows lots of love. In the first sentence we see what an encouraging teacher Brother is. He has complete faith in Doodle's abilities. The second sentence reveals love, too. If Brother hadn't loved him so much, he wouldn't have been so concerned that Doodle would suffer at school if he didn't fit in.
Quote 3
"Yes, yes" I cried, and he cried it to, and the grass beneath us was soft and the smell of the swamp was sweet. (3.14)
This passage engages our sense to help us see the beauty Brother sees. We can almost feel, see, and smell the scene. The word "sweet" gives things a gentle tone. In moments like this, it's hard to believe that Brother is the mean, selfish guy he claims to be.