How we cite our quotes: (Part.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"What do you look like?"
"May I come see you tonight and show you?" (1.54-1.55)
Brenda probably did remember Neil from earlier when he held her glasses. Otherwise, would she have let him pick her up? In any case, these romantic words are the beginning of a passionate summer romance. Trust us, it could have been way more awkward, like "I think you have something between your teeth," or something like that.
Quote #2
I didn't care for anything but Brenda. (2.22)
Neil is falling hard. Remember—this is only day two of their relationship.
Quote #3
We whipped our strangeness and newness into a froth that resembled love, and we dare not play with it too long, talk too much of it, or it would flatten and fizzle away. (2.53)
Neil tries hard throughout the story to describe and understand what love is and what it is not. Stylistically, these lines do a great job of describing that feeling people get when they might be on the brink of love—hopelessly elated.
Quote #4
How can I describe loving Brenda? It was so sweet, as though I'd finally scored that twenty-first point. (3.124)
An odd moment. He's comparing making love to Brenda for the first time with beating Julie at ping-pong. Um…weird. How much does he see Brenda as a mere conquest?
Quote #5
(Neil speaking) "That's it Brenda. Please, no more games," I said, and then when I spoke again I held her so tightly I almost dug my body into hers, "I love you," I said, "I do." (4.83)
Brenda knows that Neil is afraid of losing her—he makes it super obvious. Her game is designed to increase his insecurity and thereby force him to say he loves her. The fact that she feels the need to do this suggests that she is just as insecure as he is.
Quote #6
"As long as you go to school you can have a library card. You could take the book home." (4.119)
His relationship with Brenda aside, Neil seems like a loving guy. His concern that the boy might be deprived of the book is touching and raises sympathy for Neil with most readers. The folks from Reading Rainbow would be proud.
Quote #7
"Ron's getting married!" Julie screamed at me when I came through the door. (5.1)
Ron and Harriet's impending wedding adds to the general romantic atmosphere pervading the story. It also drives Neil to ask Brenda to buy the diaphragm—his "surrogate" (5.34) proposal. Unfortunately, a diaphragm is a lot less romantic than a ring.
Quote #8
"Neil, I called Margaret Sanger Clinic […]. When I was in New York." (6.262)
Brenda tries to salvage the relationship by doing something that makes her uncomfortable. How do you feel about this issue in the context of their relationship? Is there any love going on here, or is it manipulation on both sides?
Quote #9
Let's see, what else did I do? I ate, I slept, I went to the movies. […] I did everything I'd ever done before. […] There was no flow, for that had been Brenda. (8.4)
Neil always misses Brenda terribly whenever he's away from her for two seconds. We learn in the final blowup that this bothers Brenda. But still, we've all felt this way at some time. Part of loving anyone, romantically or not, is the loneliness we feel when they aren't around.