Will Grayson, Will Grayson Coming of Age Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

We get outside onto the street, the cold a permanent surprise. Jane takes off
running ahead of me and I don't know whether I'm supposed to follow her or not, but then she turns around toward me and starts skipping backward. The wind in her face, I can barely hear her shout, "Come on, Will! Skip! After all, you're a man now."

And I'll be damned if I don't start skipping after her. (3.118-119)

Will has his fake ID in hand, so he kind of is a man now. Well, a fake one at least. If only actual growing up were as easy as handing over a hundred bucks to Paulie. Sigh.

Quote #5

i can't help thinking that "getting a life" is something only a complete idiot could believe. like you can just drive to a store and get a life. see it in its shiny box and look inside the plastic window and catch a glimpse of yourself in a new life and say, "wow, i look much happier—i think this is the life i need to get!" take it to the counter, ring it up, put it on your credit card. if getting a life was that easy, we'd be one blissed-out race. but we're not. so it's like, mom, your life isn't out there waiting, so don't think all you have to do is find it and get it. no, your life is right here. and, yeah, it sucks. lives usually do. so if you want things to change, you don't need to get a life. you need to get off your ass.

of course i don't say any of these things to her. moms don't need to hear that kind of s*** from their kids. (4.48-49)

Despite what will thinks, this is actually a pretty wise observation. If you don't like your life, you have to do something about it. Maybe will needs to take his own advice here: His life is, at least partly, in his hands.

Quote #6

As I'm talking to [Jane], some small cut inside me feels unstitched. I thought it would be Tiny at the door, brimming with apologies I would slowly accept. But such is life. We grow up. Planets like Tiny get new moons. Moons like me get new planets. (15.60)

Maybe this is just going to be Will's life now. He's older and wiser and maybe Tiny just doesn't fit anymore? Oh, we can't believe that, Will.