How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Some people, they’re always outsiders, wherever they are."
"So am I," Dicey told him, finally understanding what he was worrying about. (1.184)
What Dicey and James don't understand here is that the only way to overcome being an outsider is to suck it up and make some friends. Everyone's an outsider at some point in their lives. But there are always friends to be had if you're willing to make it happen.
Quote #2
When he finished, he strummed a couple of chords. "Have a sit, kid."
Dicey shook her head and turned away. She heard the guitar begin another melody as she unlocked her bike and rode off downtown. (2.36-37)
Dicey straight up hops on her getaway vehicle the first time she meets Jeff. That’s one way to play hard-to-get! But in all seriousness, what's she so afraid of? He's just a dude with a guitar. Sounds downright swoony to Shmoop.
Quote #3
There were thirty-seven kids in the class, so probably one person wouldn’t have a partner, and probably that would be her. That was okay, she liked working alone, she was used to it; but she wanted to be sure everybody knew that she didn’t care about not having a partner. (2.151)
If Dicey doesn’t care about having a partner, why does she care if other people care if she cares? We think she's putting on a big show here, trying to act tough when really she wants a partner just as much as the rest of 'em.
Quote #4
Mina always greeted Dicey at school, whenever she saw her. "Hey, Dicey, how you doing." Dicey always answered, "Pretty good and you," the way you were supposed to. Then she beat a fast path to her desk, or the next class. She didn’t want anybody to think she was trying to have friends. (3.38)
If your mom left you, first inside her head and then physically, you might very well fall into the "I’ll leave you before you can leave me" trap. It’s lonely, but it’s safe.
Quote #5
"You sure are a hard person to be friends with, Dicey Tillerman." (3.93)
Mina’s humor, charm, and popularity make her an alien to Dicey, but eventually Dicey realizes Mina’s a highly intelligent outsider, too, and decides to let her in. But what change in Dicey brings that about? Why does she finally let Mina be her friend?
Quote #6
"James never had friends, none of us did really, on account of Momma and where we lived, and a whole lot of things. But James always wanted them. I think – if he wrote another report – he did it because he didn’t want to be too different. Because if you’re too different people don’t like you." (4.155)
It’s pretty tragic that one of the ways you can alienate yourself is by being too intelligent, even in the gifted class. Trust us on this one: if you have to play dumb to get people to be your friends, they’re not your real friends.
Quote #7
Mr. Lingerle put down his cup, so fast the china clattered. "I’m sorry, I didn’t realize," he said. He started to push himself up, out of the chair. "I’ve stayed too long, I was just too comfortable, I’d better be going." (5.7)
No, Mr. Lingerle! Don’t go! Can’t you see the Tillerman children need a father figure here? Sit down, stay a while.
Quote #8
"Hey," Dicey answered, walking right on past Mina and her friends. Mina got the message all right. Dicey heard one of the other voices talk as the girls followed her down the hall, falling behind because she was hurrying: "I don’t know why you’re looking for honky friends," the voice complained. (5.135)
Notice that Mina’s friend notices Dicey’s skin color, but the subject never even comes up between Dicey and Mina themselves. Mina seems like a pretty perceptive girl, but she's also totally chill. She sees Dicey for who she truly is, which is exactly what friends are supposed to do.
Quote #9
Gram was laughing. "I wish I’d been there," she said. "I wish I’d seen this. I like the sound of this girl. She your friend?"
"No, not really. I mean—no, not really." (7.134-135)
Why can’t Dicey see that anyone who would stick up for you the way Mina did in Mr. Chappelle’s class is trying really hard to be your friend? How would you react if someone defended you that way? Hopefully you'd be a bit less clueless than Dicey is here.
Quote #10
Sammy’s unfriendliness was making Jeff uncomfortable, and Dicey – reaching out again – wanted to make him feel better. "I’d like a ride, if you don’t mind waiting. Jeff plays the guitar," she told Sammy. (8.136)
Accepting what someone wants to give you can be just as much a way of reaching out as giving them something.