How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Tomorrow morning I'll begin school."
Tommy and Annika clapped their hands with delight. "Hurrah! We'll wait for you outside our gate at eight o'clock."
"Oh, no," said Pippi. "I can't begin school as early as that." (4.15-17)
Ha. Even when she's getting ready to do what society wants her to do, Pippi is determined to do it in her own way and on her own schedule, which begs the question: is she really doing what society wants her to do?
Quote #2
All the children sat looking at Pippi, who lay flat on the floor, drawing to her heart's content. "But, Pippi," said the teacher impatiently, "why in the world aren't you drawing on your paper?"
"I filled that long ago. There isn't room enough for my whole horse on that little snip of paper." (4.49-50)
There isn't room on the paper for Pippi's horse, and there isn't room in the school for her way of doing things. That "little snip of paper," as Pippi refers to it, is highly symbolic—think of it as a little snip of freedom. The teacher has told the children they can draw whatever they want… right here, in this space, with these crayons, at your desks. A little freedom, a little compromise. Pippi's great at the former. Not so good at the latter.
Quote #3
"Have I behaved badly? […] You understand, Teacher, don't you, that when you have a mother who's an angel and a father who is a cannibal king, and when you have sailed on the ocean all your whole life, then you don't know just how to behave in school with all the apples and the ibexes." (4.56)
Here Pippi reminds us just how far outside of regular society she's spent most of her life to this point. We imagine she's right—it would be pretty difficult to go from life on the sea to life in an elementary school classroom in the blink of an eye. Especially when you've got a horse parked outside waiting to carry you home.