All that ‘sir’ business. I don’t know what he takes me for.
-- Davy (chapter 1)

Importance: In this quotation, Davy objects to the limousine driver, who has taken his family back to his grandmother’s house from her funeral, calling him “sir.” This shows how Davy is suspicious of the world of adults and the formalities attached to it, and suspicious in general of people behaving in a false or insincere way.

I can’t even remember what I was mad at now, but I certainly know that I have a temper. I really wanted to talk with her about this, but every time I brought it up even indirectly, she cut me off with a look.
-- Davy (chapter 3)

Importance: This quotation shows how Davy’s grandmother, despite her caring and respectful way of raising him, kept him from reflecting on his own emotions and inner state. He is referring to an incident in which he...