How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
With Danny walking just behind us, I was reminded how big he was, and how tiny Cheryl was; it made me feel safe to have him standing over me and it made me feel like her protector to be standing next to her, and just then I didn't give a s*** that a normal guy wouldn't be with the Madmen. Normal is still important, I'm still going to be normal, but normal isn't everything. It was my new idea. (3.55)
We may see Karl dead set on being normal from the opening of the book, but it's kind of glorious to see him have these moments where he tries to compromise and have it all. Fact is, he can't be "normal" and still be loyal to his friends.
Quote #2
None of us ever narked, because we knew it wouldn't help. I mean, what was I going to do, have them take my mom away, lose our house, lose everything? What would Cheryl do if they arrested her grandfather and her parents threw her and Samantha out of the house? And could anyone expect Squid to send his dad back to prison? I mean, yeah. He sure as s*** deserved it. But it was his dad. (3.89)
Jeez, is this a bizarre-o paradox or what? Imagine having your parents put you in a compromising position and not being able to tell anyone out of fear of having your life totally uprooted. These kids' loyalty to their families, even in the midst of suffering, is an aspect of this book that we're sure readers have trouble wrapping their minds around.
Quote #3
I really remembered how much it helped to have Paul there standing next to me. Maybe because Mom was being so weird and quiet, maybe because everyone was just walking up to me and saying, "I'm sorry," and then walking away like they were afraid I might talk, maybe just because it was a friend who was there for me. After the graveside service he touched my shoulder and said he'd come by the next day. When he did, he just sat with me all day, not talking, which for Paul was like not breathing. (4.41)
Paul and Karl's friendship began with their dads' own friendship, so it seems only fitting that he would be the one standing at Karl's side at his dad's funeral. After growing up with two alcoholic parents, then briefly getting his dad back only to lose him, Karl finds that his best friend's loyalty helps him cope with an impossible situation.
Quote #4
I had Paul's example. I had scared Harris and Tierden into not being shitheads. I felt like I was committed but hadn't yet done enough. So the afternoon of Squid's mom's funeral, I slipped out of the junior high, ran home, grabbed my jacket and a tie, and went over to St. Ignatius's Church […] After the service, since I wasn't going to go out to the graveyard, I came up to Squid and touched his elbow and said, "I'm sorry." (4.49, 51)
There's no denying the fact that Karl should not have killed Squid's rabbit. But, Paul's loyalty provides Karl with an "example" of how to mend bridges with Squid by supporting him during the loss of his mother.
Quote #5
Bonny was nodding, too. "Marston and Emerson and all them are either going to be all concerned about the develop -ment of those poor misguided boys, or they're going to want Cheryl to express her feelings. Either way Harris and Tierden get all the attention they want. There might be seminars and mandatory meetings and all of that s*** till doomsday, but those assholes won't feel a bit of fear or pain about this."
"Unless we make them," I said. (9.28-29)
The Madmen are kind of like the mob—if you screw with them, they'll come after you full force. In this case, Harris and Tierden feel their wrath big time. Nothing like getting whipped out of your car while you're doing drugs and thinking it's the cops.
Quote #6
She laughed. "So that's what the Madmen do? Protect each other like that?"
"No. I wish it was. Usually we can't do a f***ing thing for each other, come to admit it. We're a little group of mental-case high school students, not the f***in' X-Men, you know? But we know each others' stories, and we do try to watch each other's backs, when we can." (9.91-92)
Here's a conversation between Karl and Marti. Here's a good question: if the Madmen really were the X-Men, which characters would they be? We're betting on Karl as Beast.
Quote #7
"So that's why you said that keeping friends is hard. What a jackass." Marti pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Maybe I'm just weird but I don't think you should throw away great friends just to sit around all year singing, I'm-normal-I'm-normal-I'm-normal to yourself. Your friends are not like a … a hairstyle or something."
I felt small, petty, and creepy. (9.113-114)
Ooh, you just got burned by Marti. Something tells us that getting burned by Marti really stinks. Either way, we think Karl deserves it. His "be normal" plan is ridiculous and borderline traitorous to his friends.
Quote #8
See, the thing was, Gratz was sort of right. Usually, if you picked a fight with one Madman, you picked a fight with all of us. (12.115)
Maybe Karl's X-Men analogy isn't that far off. Mess with one Madman, and the rest of them swarm. Now, that's loyalty, folks.
Quote #9
So here I was, the Lone Madman. All eyes were on him as the town rode away, and he sat there on his great white chicken. My work here is done. I'm needed wherever there's another friend to betray, another butt to lick, wherever the people cry out for conformity. (15.143)
You might not get what Karl is doing here, but this speech is a parody of Lone Ranger dialogue from the original series. He's literally mocking himself for betraying his friends and not walking out with the rest of the Madman crew in Gratz's class.
Quote #10
"The Madman Underground is all about how much everybody needs each other, and hauling my ass out of here is all about not needing anybody. And the Madman Underground is all about telling your story to people who already heard it and like you anyway, and I want to live someplace where I can have my story, not just some things that happened to me." (20.42)
Karl fortunately comes to the realization that he's never going to be normal, and since that's the case, he might as well keep his friends and the unique yet bizarre situation they have.