How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Flora's mother had often accused Flora of being a "natural-born cynic." Flora suspected that this was true. (1.10)
We're not sure we'd label Flora a cynic. Sure she's skeptical about some stuff, but she's not jaded like cynics usually are. In fact, Flora is more someone obsessed with being clever and knowledgeable than a cynic.
Quote #2
Not much goes on in the mind of a squirrel. Huge portions of what is loosely termed "the squirrel brain" are given over to one thought: food. (2.1)
Can you blame him? Who doesn't love their snacks? We get this up front so we can see just how smart Ulysses becomes. Since squirrels aren't all that bright, it's all the more powerful when Ulysses has intelligent thoughts and writes them down.
Quote #3
One of Flora's very favorite bonus comics was entitled TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! As a cynic, Flora found it wise to be prepared. Who knew what horrible, unpredictable thing would happen next? (4.14)
Flora loves being prepared. It comes with the territory for someone who is always looking to outsmart everyone around them, and this certainly isn't the last time we hear about how informative these comics are. Why do you think Flora is so obsessed with them?
Quote #4
Flora knew from reading TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! that a surprising number of people were walking around with tumors in their brains and didn't even know it. That was the thing about tragedy. It was just sitting there, keeping you company, waiting. And you had absolutely no idea. (8.13)
Tootie might have a brain tumor from how she reacts, according to Flora. Here's the thing about Flora's desperate need to be clever: Most of the time, she's worrying over nothing. Sure bad things happen sometimes, but that doesn't mean every single person has a secret brain tumor or seizure whenever something unexpected happens.
Quote #5
"Do not hope; instead, observe" was a piece of advice that appeared often in TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! According to TERRIBLE THINGS!, hope sometimes got in the way of action. (11.14)
This might as well be tattooed on Flora's arm since she turns to it so often. She doesn't want to just suspect something; she wants to confirm what she thinks to prove she knows what's going down.
Quote #6
The Criminal Element gave very specific pointers on how to never, ever be fooled by a criminal, and one of the oft-repeated dictums of The Criminal Element was that the best way to get to know a person was to look him or her directly in the eye. (17.3)
This is one of many helpful tips Flora recalls from her reading. The only problem is, she can't confirm her theory about William being a criminal or arch-nemesis without looking at him without his dark glasses. It looks like you can't learn everything from those comics after all.
Quote #7
Flora knew what was happening. She had read about it in TERRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! It was the calm before the storm: The air becomes still. The birds stop singing. The world waits. (33.8)
In the diner, Flora tries to predict what will happen based on her reading. It's funny that she's so obsessed with learning how to react in a tough situation, because her dad is lonely and needs a friend, yet she can't see it. She's too focused on becoming intelligent.
Quote #8
"Bah, cynics," said Dr. Meescham. "Cynics are people who are afraid to believe." She waved her hand in front of her face as if she were brushing away a fly. (39.29)
Ouch. Dr. Meescham has no problem telling Flora what she really thinks, and we love her for it. Flora is so busy trying to be cynical and read up on disasters that she doesn't experience the life that's right in front of her.
Quote #9
I've never been what you would call coordinated or spatially intelligent. It's not even that I bump into things. It's more that things leap out of nowhere and bump into me. My mother says that this is because I live in my head as opposed to living in the world. But I ask you: Don't we all live in our heads? (47.29)
William Spiver talks about the different types of being smart, and while he might not be able to catch a ball or throw well, but he sure knows his share of facts. We see that being clever comes with a downside, but it also makes you think deeper and harder about stuff that others miss.
Quote #10
Only at the very end did the truth appear. Two letters: F and L. That was Ulysses, she knew, trying to type her name one last time, trying to tell her that he loved her. (56.17)
Ulysses is smart to sneak those two letters in at the bottom of his forced letter to Flora. It's his cunning that tips Flora off, prompting her to gather a search party and go out to rescue him. We can't help but notice that a squirrel outsmarts the whole bunch, even the intelligent ones.