How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Backhouses ran from two-holers to six-holers. Ours was a standard four-holer. You could just about judge a family's station in life by their backhouse. Just by looking at the Whitlock backhouse, with its ornate scroll wordwork trim and its fancy vent, you knew Calvin Whitlock was a person of means and influence in the community. (1.4)
Rich people and their fancy community bathrooms, are we right?
Quote #2
I could tell from the conniving look on Tom's face during lunch that his great brain was working like sixty to turn this to his financial advantage. (1.42)
How can you tell Tom's thinking about making money? He's awake. Actually, scratch that—he probably dreams about making money, too.
Quote #3
His freckled face suddenly became solemn. "Sometimes my great brain almost scares me," he said. "I'll be a millionaire before I'm old enough to vote." (1.136)
But the real question is if he'll bankroll sketchy political campaigns. Money, like intellect, matters most in how Tom uses it. In this book, he doesn't have enough to do much of anything with, though.
Quote #4
"Papa isn't going to like this one bit," Tom said. "Papa says it is brains that count and not muscles. When he finds out you made me give up a good money-making scheme my great brain thought up, he is going to be mighty angry with you, Mamma. You just wait and see."
"When your father comes home," Mamma said, not in the least cowed by Tom's threats, "I'll have him explain to you the difference between an honest business transaction and swindling your friends." (1.155-157)
Is there really a difference in Tom's mind? How can you tell?
Quote #5
It was the first time my brother's great brain had cost him money. I was positive Tom would carry the scar of this financial catastrophe to his grave. (1.176)
If you want to get through to Tom, you need to speak his language—and yes, that means money is the best way to get through to him. Here J.D. refers to Tom losing money as a "scar."
Quote #6
"Even if they are alive," Tom said, "Uncle Mark told Papa they are probably going farther and farther into the cave, trying to find their way out. And he said it would take an army months to fully explore all levels of the cave." Tom shook his head. "If they don't find them alive it is going to cost me a fortune." (3.123)
And, uh, they'll be dead and it will be a terrible tragedy for their parents and the whole town. But priorities, you know?
Quote #7
"You look worried, Abie," Papa said. "Do you need any money?"
Papa didn't have any money because Mamma said he didn't know beans about trying to save a dollar. But Papa knew he could send Abie to see Calvin Whitlock. (4.52-53)
Papa's awfully free and easy with other people's money, isn't he? Whether it's Abie's, Calvin Whitlock's, or anybody else's, Papa knows how others should spend their cash.
Quote #8
I thought Mr. Kokovinis was going to cry. And if he had known how much it was going to cost him for Tom being Basil's best friend, he probably would have. Now that Tom had made Basil a genuine American kid like the rest of us, it made the Greek boy fair game for my brother's great brain. Right now, I thought to myself, I'll bet Tom is trying to figure out how much to charge Mr. Kokovinis for each new English word he teaches Basil. (5.213)
If Tom were around today, he would definitely set up a for-profit university, complete with unnecessary course requirements he designed himself and textbooks written by himself under different pen names.
Quote #9
Abie had earned himself a reputation for being a miser since opening his variety store. It began when he had removed the strong box from his peddler's wagon and placed it in the living quarters of his store. It was a box made from wood with steel bands around it and had a big padlock on it. […]
It was just a couple of weeks after Abie opened his store that the rumor got around town the strongbox was filled with gold pieces. (6.4-5)
There's just not a lot going on in Adenville, and a strongbox full of gold pieces is prime gossip. Plus, who cares if he has a lot of gold pieces? He's not a miser just because he saves his money.
Quote #10
"I saw the picture of the set in the Sears Roebuck catalog," Tom said. "It costs six dollars. If I had a set like that, I could make a fortune."
"How?" I asked.
"By charging kids a penny an hour to play with it," Tom answered. Then his face became thoughtful. "Maybe I can work out a deal with Andy." (8.6-8)
Tom probably sees this plan as a great business opportunity for Andy, not as an attempt to exploit his seriously injured friend's coolest toy.