How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
If she was going to insist that Dicey wear a bra, then Dicey wasn’t going to feel sorry at how much money it cost. If Dicey was going to have to go around feeling like a dog with a collar on, Gram could just pay for it, and Dicey wasn’t going to apologize. (4.212)
Ah, the one moment in the book when Dicey's not worried about money. Her bitterness here reminds us of the bitterness Gram showed when she had to go pick up the welfare check. But hey, a lot of growing up and being mature is learning how to swallow your pride and just do what you gotta do.
Quote #8
Gram went into a girls’ section, where the mannequins were of teenagers wearing slacks or party dresses. They were in the same poses as the mannequins for ladies, which Dicey thought was pretty stupid. The dresses were pretty stupid looking too. (4.214)
Check out what Voigt’s doing here: she’s showing us Dicey’s discomfort over growing up by having her notice that the girls’ mannequins and women’s mannequins are in the same poses. This is what your writing teachers mean by "show, don’t tell." With just that one little detail, we can see Dicey's discomfort with the clothing industry making women out of girls.
Quote #9
The heavy-soft fabric hung close to her body. Her bosom showed a little, and the belt at her waist made her look curved. She looked unfamiliar to herself, the kind of plain that was really fancy. She stood, biting her lip, looking at the girl in the mirror. (4.234)
Dicey sees herself with her choppy tomboy haircut wearing a party dress, and it’s so jarring it’s like she’s looking at a completely different person. We've all had that moment, but for most of us, it's a good one. For Dicey, it's just plain scary.