How we cite our quotes: Citations for the text follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph); for art and illustrations: (Chapter.Illustration)
Quote #7
Back on the rez, I was a decent player, I guess. A rebounder and a guy who could run up and down the floor without tripping. But something magical happened to me when I went to Reardan.
Overnight, I became a good player.
I suppose it had something to do with confidence. I mean, I'd always been the lowest Indian on the reservation totem pole – I wasn't expected to be good so I wasn't. But in Reardan, my coach and the other players wanted me to be good. They needed me to be good. They expected me to be good.
And so I became good.
I wanted to live up to expectations.
I guess that's what it comes down to.
The power of expectations. (23.5-23.10)
On the rez Arnold was a zero, but at Reardan he becomes a hero. How? Why, all through the magical power of positive thinking, high expectations, and hope. The simple fact that his team and his coach believe in him make Arnold want to try all that much harder.
Quote #8
"I can do it," I said to Coach, to my teammates, to the world.
"You can do it," Coach said.
"I can do it."
"You can do it."
"I can do it."
Do you understand how amazing it is to hear that from an adult? Do you know how amazing it is to hear that from anybody? It's one of the simplest sentences in the world, just four words, but they're the four hugest words in the world when they're put together.
You can do it.
I can do it.
Let's do it. (25.135-25.143)
The four most powerful words in the world, Arnold tells, are "You can do it." Through believing in himself – and having someone else believe in him – Arnold is able to accomplish great things.
Quote #9
Yep, if I believe in magic, in ghosts, then I think maybe I was rising on the shoulders of my dead grandmother and Eugene, my dad's best friend. Or maybe I was rising on my mother and father's hopes for me.
I don't know what happened.
But for once, and for the only time in my life, I jumped higher than Rowdy.
I rose above him as he tried to dunk it.
I TOOK THE BALL RIGHT OUT OF HIS HANDS. (25.185-25.189)
Arnold stands on the hopes and dreams of his family and actually beats tough-guy Rowdy in the rematch between Reardan and Wellpinit. Did you expect Arnold to win? How has Arnold changed since the beginning of the novel?