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"If you don't want to sink, you better figure out how to swim."
This sums up Jeannette's whole childhood. This quotes takes place when Rex "teaches" her how to swim which he does by just throwing her in the pool. She eventually learns so she can stop swallowing all that water. This is how she lives her life. She is constantly put in situations where she isn't prepared but still manages to survive.

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"You know, it's really not that hard to put food on the table if that's what you decide to do."
As an adult Brian realizes that with hard word it's really not that hard to find the means to support a family and always provide. He openly suggests that Rex and Rosemary had laid there priorities elsewhere instead of looking for jobs and feeding their children.

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"One thing about whoring, it put a chicken on the table"
While most disapprove Jeannette's neighbor for being a prostitute she accepts her immediately as she is seeing that it provides shelter and food for her daughter unlike her parents who wouldn't even get a job without someone nagging them about it.

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"Mom says i'm mature for my age, I told them and she lets me cook a lot by myself."
Jeannette tells this to the nurse when she was being hospitalized after she was burned. This quote tells us how neglected the children are. They have to cook for themselves in order to eat since there mom prefers to paint all day.

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" I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if i had overdressed for the evening, when i looked out the window and saw mom rooting through a dumpster."
It's no surprise that Jeannette has risen up from her status despite of her childhood and her parents. When she saw her mom rooting through the trash she did nothing and hid because of the embarrasment. She had always hid her past from everyone knowing that she will be judged by her peers and colleagues. Status is shown throughout the book as the children are always seen as "white trash" and constantly bullied for being the most poor.

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" Jaennette, I haven't asked you for a lot of favors, but i'm asking you for one now."
This quote was said by Rosemary. She heard her brother has died and his land is up for sale. She asked Jeannette for a million dollars so she can buy it and Jeannette is shocked and angry as she thinks of how hungry and cold her childhood was while her mom was just sitting on land with a million dollars. She argues about the price and asks what she would even do with the land and Rosemary answers with "keep it in the family."
It shows where her real values stand and really only cares for herself as she's the only one who wants the land.