Pippi Longstocking Strength and Skill Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

The most remarkable thing about her was that she was so strong. She was so very strong that in the whole wide world there was not a police officer as strong as she. Why, she could lift a whole horse if she wanted to! (1.9)

So that's pretty strong, especially considering that a horse would be really awkward to lift. (You know how sometimes it's more about the shape of an object than the weight? Like you could lift it if you could just figure out how to get a good grip on it?) But more importantly here, Pippi gets compared right away to police officers, and what do police officers do? They make sure people follow laws, i.e., they are crusaders for justice. And she's stronger than they are. (We'll let you take it from here.)

Quote #2

"I don't think you have a very nice way with ladies," said Pippi. And she lifted him in her strong arms—high in the air—and carried him to a birch tree and hung him over a branch. Then she took the next boy and hung him over another branch. (2.59)

So now Bengt is bent. Over a tree limb. Get it? In this situation Pippi uses her strength to take on five bullies at once. Well actually one bully and his minions, but there are five of them and just one of her. And she's younger. And smaller. And… way stronger. And we love it because this is the dream of any kid that's ever been outnumbered or intimidated like this: to meet the bully head-on and win. Calmly. And with a joke or two.

Quote #3

She climbed up the shingles almost as if she were a little monkey herself. In a moment she was up on the ridgepole and from there jumped easily to the chimney. (3.27)

Pippi's not just incredibly strong though—she's got mad climbing skills, too. This ability is a little easier to understand, seeing as how she spent nine years on a ship climbing the mast to check the weather, but it's still exceptional. And way beyond what one would expect of most nine-year-olds.