How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small. (7-12)
Oh so it's not his fault. Hey, maybe he was born with that tiny heart. Or, on the flip side, maybe it got tiny from underuse. In any case, the Grinch certainly isn't fond of the Christmas season. This hatred continues to resonate through the entirety of the book as he watches the Christmas planning unfold. All the while, his blood is boiling as he anticipates the other things that he hates with the passion of a thousand fiery suns.
Quote #2
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
That's one thing he hated! The NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! (29-30)
Really, dude, it's the noise that bothers you? Why don't you just blast some Black Sabbath and call it a day. A war of the speakers is just what the doctor ordered.
Quote #3
They would feast on Who-pudding, and rare Who-roast beast
Which was something the Grinch couldn't stand in the least! (37-38)
Now the Grinch begrudges the Whos their delicious holiday delights. Who-roast beast sounds totally scrumptious, so maybe he's just bummed he can't have any.
Quote #4
And THEN
They'd do something
He liked least of all!
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Would stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the Whos would start singing. (39-44)
The Grinch pretty much despises absolutely anything that the Whos do during Christmastime—or probably at any time of the year. He's like that caricature of the cranky old neighbor yelling at kids to get off his lawn already. His hatred of the holidays—and of all the noise associated with it—consumes him entirely, keeping his little heart shriveled up and his frown lines deep.
Quote #5
"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch,
"That I simply MUST hear!" (144-145)
In the final moments as he's about to carry out his terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad plan, it's the Grinch's hatred and desire to cause the Whos pain that makes him pause at the top of Mt. Crumpit. He assumes that they are going to be wailing and complaining about their loss of Christmas, but to his surprise, he hears singing instead. At this juncture, he no longer hates the Whos. His hatred deflates and he starts to wonder what all this Christmas joy and love stuff is really about, and in doing so, his heart grows three sizes. Bonus.