How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Who we are," he said, underlining each word as he said it. "Who we are! Us! Right? What kind of people are we? What kind of person are you? Isn't that the most important thing of all? Isn't that the kind of question we should be asking ourselves all the time? "What kind of person am I? (1.Choose Kind.22)
The word Mr. Browne isn't saying here is principles. Adolescence is typically when people first take a crack at identifying and cataloging their personal values.
Quote #2
"They said I could quit whenever I wanted to." He said this while he was still focused on a comic book he was reading.
"But you've never been the kind of kid who quits things," I said truthfully. "That's not like you." (2.Time to Think.4-5)
Via helps remind Auggie of the principles that make him who he is—and in this case, he's not a kid who quits things and she's going to hold him to that. Even though it's annoying to him in the moment, it's great that Via anchors him this way—reminding him of what is really important to him when he has lost his footing.
Quote #3
"Auggie," I said, "are you really going to let a couple of stupid kids keep you from going back to school? I know you've been enjoying it. Don't give them that power over you. Don't give them the satisfaction." (2.Time to Think.12)
What principles is Via advocating as she works Auggie over about going back to school?
Quote #4
"But this is crazy, Auggie!" I said emphatically, pulling the new comic book away from him too. "You have to go back to school. Everyone hates school sometimes. I hate school sometimes. I hate my friends sometimes. That's just life, Auggie. You want to be treated normally, right? This is normal! We all have to go to school sometimes despite the fact that we have bad days, okay?" (2.Time to Think.16)
There could be a hundred essays written on this chapter alone as Auggie says he's going to quit school. We'll keep it short by just wondering out loud how Via's "normal" might differ from Auggie's, how her "bad days" stack up in comparison, and how despite the differences between her reality and his she's still making the right argument.
Quote #5
Some kids have actually come out and asked me why I hang out with "the freak" so much. These are kids that don't even know him well. If they knew him, they wouldn't call him that.
"Because he's a nice kid!" I always answer. "And don't call him that."
Summer isn't afraid to defend August.
Quote #6
"So you have to choose who you want to hang out with," Savanna said. She was talking to me like a big sister would talk to a little sister. "Everyone likes you, Summer. Everyone thinks you're really nice and that you're really, really pretty. You could totally be part of our group if you wanted to, and believe me, there are a lot of girls in our grade who would love that." (3.The Halloween Party.18)
In response to this flattering but unfair ultimatum, Summer quietly leaves the party, choosing friendship with Auggie over popularity.
Quote #7
"I didn't want him to say anything that would hurt that little boy's feelings. But it was very bad, us leaving like that. The momma knew what was going on."
"But we didn't mean it," I answered.
"Jack, sometimes you don't have to mean to hurt someone to hurt someone. You understand?" (4.Carvel.23-25)
Jack often thinks back to his nanny's words when he sees August around the neighborhood. It's an early lesson in empathy and sensitivity that he files away, and later draws on when he is asked to befriend Auggie.
Quote #8
So here's why I changed my mind. It wasn't so I wouldn't have to hear Mom give me a whole lecture. And it wasn't to protect this August kid from Julian, who I knew would be a jerk about the whole thing. It was because when I heard Jamie talking about how he had run away from August going 'Ahhh,' I suddenly felt really bad. The thing is, there are always going to be kids like Julian who are jerks. But if a little kid like Jamie, who's usually a nice enough kid, can be that mean, then a kid like August doesn't stand a chance in middle school. (4.Why I Changed My Mind.38)
It's not that Jack wants to help August really—he simply cannot morally allow himself not to help him. Jack knows what the right thing is, even though he is still learning how to do that right thing when it's hard.
Quote #9
"Mom? Am I always going to have to worry about jerks like that?" I asked. "Like when I grow up, is it always going to be like this?"
[…]
"There are always going to be jerks in the world, Auggie," she said, looking at me. "But I really believe, and Daddy really believes, that there are more good people on this earth than bad people, and the good people watch out for each other and take care of each other. Just like Jack was there for you. And Amos. And those other kids." (8.Home.43-45)
After Auggie's frightening experience in the woods, it's important that he not let it discourage him from leading a normal life. When his mom shares her belief that others, for the most part, are good, it reassures Auggie that his life won't be filled with traumatic experiences like the one at camp.
Quote #10
But the best way to measure how much you've grown isn't by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average—though those things are important, to be sure. It's what you've done with your time, how you've chosen to spend your days, and whom you have touched this year. That, to me, is the greatest measure of success. (8.A Simple Thing.10)
Mr. Tushman assigns higher value to building principles than stacking up accomplishments. While he acknowledges that both matter, he wants the make sure the kids' definition of success includes character.
Quote #11
The strength of one's courage, he repeated quietly, nodding and smiling. He held up his right hand like he was counting off. "Courage, Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness. (8.Awards.12)
That right up there, Shmoopsters, is the road map to greatness. So quick—grab a pen and write those four principles down. You can thank us later.