How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
The best playground, however, was the dark alley itself. It was crammed with daily mysteries and adventures. (5)
Waverly doesn't let poverty get in the way of having fun. The neighborhood becomes a wonderland, and the stores around her apartment fire her imagination. Does she realize at this point how free she really is? More importantly, why isn't she as bothered by her mother's overbearing qualities at this point?
Quote #2
The front window displayed a tank crowded with doomed fish and turtles struggling to gain footing on the slimy green-tiled sides. (6)
Tan may be foreshadowing something here… Not sure what we're talking about? Hop on over to the "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" section.
Quote #3
Each morning before school, my mother would twist and yank on my thick black hair until she had formed two tightly wound pigtails. (9)
Waverly clearly hates the way her mother binds her hair, and Tan describes it in such a way that we can actually feel the tightness closing in around us. More importantly, though, this hair ritual suggests that Waverly didn't enjoy much freedom to begin with—her mother's been wrangling her into submission since before Waverly even knew what chess was. How does this color the later sections when Waverly's a chess wiz and she can feel her confinement more readily?