How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Theo protested: He and his brother should be paired together; Chris was his responsibility. Mrs. Wexler protested: Doctor D. should be paired with his bride-to-be. (7.12)
Theo and Grace may both be "protest[ing]" about how their family members are being treated, but there's at least one key difference between them. Theo wants to take care of Chris himself, while Grace thinks Angela's fiancé should take care of her. While in their desire to protect their relatives they're both verging on a kind of smothering, or keeping them from growing, they're also limiting themselves, and others, as proposed caretakers.
Quote #5
On reading Mrs. Wexler's note in the elevator, Flora Baumbach had insisted, "You must do what your mother says." When Turtle replied, "Like showing her our clues?" Flora Baumbach's answer was "Perhaps so. After all, she is your mother." (9.13)
Is Flora right to say that we should all do what our mothers say? She seems to mean that we should obey first, consider later. But should a child obey a parent when the parent's asking them to do something that's unfair or wrong? Turtle shouldn't have to share her clues; that's not on the same level as brushing your teeth twice a day or not getting into strangers' cars. Where are we supposed to draw the line?
Quote #6
The judge left the prattling pretender. Father's brother or father's father's brother, if the relationship was on the paternal side her maiden name would be Westing. (10.7)
In a little thing we like to call dramatic irony, the judge thinks she's right, but she's actually wrong. She's absolutely correct that if Grace is related to Westing on her father's side, they should share the same last name. What she doesn't know is that Grace and Sam are related – they both used to have the same last name, and they just each changed it to something different. Based on where this information hits us in the mystery, though, we side with the judge and think Grace is probably lying.