How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
He laughed. "Doug Shoemaker's kid, to the bone. Defending the helpless and shaking hands." He clapped my shoulder and walked away. I resisted the urge to wipe my shoulder. (7.151)
One big part of why Karl hates Lightsburg is that when people look at him, they see his dad, not who he really is individually and on his own. The fact that his dad was a high-profile figure who let down a huge portion of the community by not supporting the plastic housing development kicks things up several notches. Whether Karl likes it or not, his family legacy precedes him.
Quote #8
That settled all the big questions, so Mom got me cleaned up and put to bed. I remember her hugging me extra hard and saying, "Your dad does love you, Tiger, and I know you love him, but try not to be like him, 'kay?" (11.41)
Just to recap the context of this scene, Karl's dad just went outside to get drunk because he swore at his son for thinking Communism had honorable qualities. Before that, his parents got in a drunken brawl that ended with his dad's birthday cake on the floor. Finally, the evening concludes with his mom telling him not to grow up and be like his dad. And that, folks, is a happy family evening in Lightsburg.
Quote #9
When Squid finished, he put his head down and muttered for a moment. I glanced his way. "Oh, Mom always said it was stupid to give thanks before you got the thing, the time to thank was after you had it, so she said grace at the end of the meal. So I—well, you know."
"Yeah. Every time I pick up a tool I hear my dad's voice." (16.140-141)
Squid and Karl (and Paul, even though he's not in this passage) all share the common experience of losing a parent. For them in particular, the kindness Karl showed Squid when his mom died has made this commonality a special bond for them. To talk about the things they miss about their parents is a language both can easily understand.