Turtle in Paradise Art and Culture Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

I dream that I'm sitting next to Shirley Temple. She isn't as cute in person as she is on the screen. And she's definitely wearing too much lipstick. (17.7)

Oh, burn. We know she hates Shirley Temple, but we think it's more about what the starlet represents than who she is as a person. She's the embodiment of Hollywood glamour and perfection, even though she's just a kid. Turtle thinks that's just not real life. (Head on over to the "Symbols" section for more of our thoughts on this.)

Quote #8

Something's been bothering me about Little Orphan Annie. After she was adopted by Daddy Warbucks and went to live in his mansion, did she ever miss the orphanage? Late at night, when she was lying in her soft new bed, did she ever think about the orphans she left behind? (18.1)

Turtle has it all, but it doesn't make her happy. The trouble with comparing your life to a movie is that movies and comics end, so usually we don't get to see what happens after the guy gets the girl or the orphan is adopted. In real life, time just keeps ticking.

Quote #9

A Hollywood writer couldn't have imagined a sappier scene. (18.36)

When her mom and grandma reunite, Turtle thinks of it as if it were a movie. Have you noticed that she often puts her life into a movie script so she can explain what it was like? Something tells us this isn't just about making it clear to us—we think she wants to think of her life this way.