How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"At first, I thought it was a strange kind of foreplay, but then I realized their grunts were actually insults—queer, f*****, the usual. I wasn't about to take such verbal abuse from strangers—only Joni was allowed to speak to me that way." (2.57)
Why is it acceptable for a friend to use insulting words but not a stranger? How does jokingly using derogatory language imply closeness and friendship?
Quote #2
I don't know when Infinite Darlene and I first became friends. Perhaps it was back when she was still Daryl Heisenberg, but that's not very likely; few of us can remember what Daryl Heisenberg was like, since Infinite Darlene consumed him so completely. (3.6)
Note that the "Infinite" in "Infinite Darlene" is never explained. Let's look at Paul's word choice here—what about that "consumed"? In what way might being consumed by a new identity give one a sense of being infinite? Is Darlene infinite in a way Daryl wasn't?
Quote #3
It is here that I feel the limit of our friendship. Because while Infinite Darlene feels comfortable telling me everything, I am afraid that if I tell her something, it will no longer be mine. It will belong to the whole school. (3.16)
Friends who tell your secrets are the worst. Gossip sometimes makes kids popular, though often the people doing the talking are doing it so they don't get gossiped about.