How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
As I turned to leave, my eyes again fell on the overalls and the bolts of cloth. I thought of my mother, father, and sisters. Here was an opportunity to make amends for leaving home without telling anyone. (4.40)
Hmmm, this seems a bit like bribery to us. As though Mama's going to buttered up with a few lengths of cloth, right? Still, you can imagine that Billy feels pretty good about not coming home empty-handed.
Quote #5
While Mama was bundling me up, Papa lit my lantern. He handed it to me, saying, "I'd like to see a big coonskin on the smokehouse wall in the morning."
The whole family followed me out on the porch. (8.28-29)
It's a big ol' family send off for Billy! Just one more way his family is ridiculously—one might almost say, unbelievably—supportive of Billy and his dreams.
Quote #6
My mother told me always to be kind to Rainie, that he couldn't help being the way he was. I asked, "Why?" She said it was because his brothers were always picking on him and beating him. (12.14)
So much for the anti-Billy. The questions here is, if Billy had been born into the Pritchard family, would he have turned out like Rainie? Or is there something special and unique about Billy that would have come through no matter who his parents were?