How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"We didn't laugh at them when they said nice things about their parents, or when they were polite to each other, or when they said things like 'hey gang…'" (5.25)
We see a crack here between who Jack is trying to be—the hip kid who's too cool for school—and who he really is—a lonely kid looking for a little sympathy and stability. The Mickey Mouse Club starts looking really nice after going through what he's been through.
Quote #5
"I was tempted by the idea of belonging to a conventional family, and living in a house, and having a big brother and a couple of sisters—especially if one of those sisters was Norma." (10.11)
We get a bit of a giggle because of his hots for Norma, but it also might reflect a fundamental flaw in his thinking. Even when he wants a normal family, it can't be a normal family because of the way he thinks about his stepsister.
Quote #6
"He smiled at me and put his hand on my shoulder and made frequent references to fun things we'd done together. And I played along." (11.13)
The big question: why does Jack play along? This is his out. He could just say, "Mom, this guy's a lunatic and marrying him would be a huge mistake," but it's not that easy. Could it be that he's buying into the "fake it til you make it" idea that he's lived his life to up until now? That if he pretends that Dwight's a super cool step-dad, somehow that will make Dwight a super-cool step dad?