How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
The moment Oskar saw [his grandmother] he wished, in eager emulation of his grandfather Koljaiczek, to dive beneath her and, if possible, never draw another breath outside her sheltered lee (17.22).
Oskar's desire to isolate himself from the outside world seems to express itself most clearly when he talks about wanting to dive beneath his grandmother's skirts and never come back out. After all, these are the same skirts that once hid a grown man from the police, and Oskar associates them with safety and peace.
Quote #11
When I tried to tell the stories to Bruno at breakfast, I couldn't rid myself of them because I had forgotten them all; Oskar has no talent for dreaming (33.1).
Even in this instance, when he decides to try opening up to his caretaker, Oskar finds it impossible to communicate his deepest feelings to another person.