The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 Mortality Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

I got right next to where the door used to be when the guy came out with a little girl in his arms. He had on the same thing Dad did, a T-shirt and pajama pants, but it looked like he'd been painting with red, red paint. (14.42)

Kenny sees death for real this time—right in front of him—but he still can't bring himself to admit it. He describes the blood as paint because it's too scary to think that all that red is a little girl's blood.

Quote #8

I tried to remember if I'd been mean to Joey this morning. I guessed I hadn't. I never did tell her how she helped Byron save my life in the water. I guessed I should have. (14.50)

Why does Kenny wonder about how he treated Joey after he thinks she's dead? What do you think the author is trying to tell us here?

Quote #9

However [the bomb] got in the church it had killed four little girls, blinded a couple more and sent a bunch of other people to the hospital. I couldn't stop wondering if those two little girls I saw on the lawn were okay. (15.1)

Not to sound harsh, but we're pretty sure that those two girls on the lawn were victims of the bombing. Why is Kenny so reluctant to admit this to himself?