How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
There came a time, however, when the young men of the vicinity said: "Dat Johnson goil is a puty good looker." About this period her brother remarked to her: "Mag, I'll tell yeh dis! See? Yeh've edder got teh go teh hell or go teh work!" Whereupon she went to work, having the feminine aversion of going to hell. (5.4)
Young women in the Bowery don't have many options. Maggie can basically get a factory job and eventually get married, or go straight to the streets (a.k.a. "teh hell") and become a prostitute.
Quote #8
Maggie's red mother, stretched on the floor, blasphemed and gave her daughter a bad name. (6.23)
The idea that Maggie's mother is in any position to condemn her daughter is absolutely absurd. Of course, that act is made even more ridiculous by the fact that she is "blaspheming" her daughter while crashed out on the floor.
Quote #9
Suddenly she came upon a stout gentleman in a silk hat and a chaste black coat, whose decorous row of buttons reached from his chin to his knees. The girl had heard of the Grace of God and she decided to approach this man. (16.34)
Here's Maggie's low point (or close to it). While God has never seemed to have meaning to her, at this point she hopes he's a player in the world—it's what inspires her to seek help from this man. But it doesn't work out, and we're imagining that being ignored by this guy doesn't help establish her faith.