How we cite our quotes: (Section.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"I was just giving you fairies," said Sal.
The urge to hit or pinch Sal was overwhelming. With laser eyes, Billy stared right through his sister. Underneath Sal's dense, dark curls clipped with a panda barrette and her lacy pastel nightgown, Billy saw the enemy. Why couldn't he have had a brother instead? (2.3.44-45)
Watch out folks, Billy has entered the dark side. When Sal sprinkles glitter into his diorama, our main man starts to see red and then some. Sure, Sal might not look like a typical villain with her nightgown and a panda clip in her hair, but Billy has her pegged as Enemy Number One. In fact, appearances don't matter to him one bit—it's all about her actions and they've put her in the dog house.
Quote #5
They worked in unison like one big machine. Papa scooped up Sal, secured her in her car seat, put the diorama in the front seat next to him, waited for Billy to get in the back next to Sal and buckle his seat belt, and started off to school. (2.3.72)
This family sure knows how to work together, so it's no surprise that they work as a unit to get Billy to school on time with diorama in hand. What do you think of the "machine" metaphor? How is this family like a machine? And is that a positive thing?
Quote #6
Billy Miller hated his sister. At least, right now he did. Sal was crying—wailing, really—so loudly that Billy had gone to his room, shut the door, flung himself on his bed, and buried his head under his pillow. The crying continued and Billy could not escape it. (3.1.1)
Siblings can be the worst—the absolute worst—and when Sal is crying like there's no tomorrow, Billy has just about had it. In fact, the narrator uses a pretty strong word to talk about how Billy feels towards his little sis: "hate." What do you think of this word? In what ways does Billy's hate change his relationship with his sis? Are there any ways in which his temporary hate turns out to be a good thing in the end?