The View From Saturday

“When I told Tilly that six steps seemed a lot to have to do before you begin, she said, ‘you must think of those six steps not as preparation for the beginning but as the beginning itself.’”

During his visit to Century Village and his time learning calligraphy with Tilly, Noah learns the importance of patience and selflessness, which serves him well when it comes one of the novel’s key themes: Respecting and Understanding Differences. Tilly’s lessons on appreciating the smaller, preparative moments in life as much as the big events play a critical role in Noah’s journey.

“Allen Diamondstein still lived in the real world because even though he was Izzy's child and even though he was full-grown, he was too young to live in Century Village. Fact: Allen Diamondstein was the most nervous human being I had ever seen in my entire life. Fact: His wife had left him. She had moved to Epiphany and taken a job with my father, who is the best dentist in town (fact).”

In Noah’s narration, Konigsburg employs specificity of narrative voice to accomplish both exposition and character development. Noah’s bullet-point way of thinking succinctly informs the reader about Nadia’s father Allen’s personality and background, as well as Noah’s family’s connection to Allen (and therefore Noah’s connection to Nadia), laying the groundwork for the following chapter about Nadia’s journey.

“I sucked in my breath until my lungs felt like twin dirigibles inside my ribs. ‘The best gift of all is...the very best...the very best gift of all is...to give up your gift.’”

Konigsberg uses this scene in which Noah is put on the spot in front of the wedding party to come up with a fifth gift unexpectedly to reveal an experience that prepares one of the souls for a challenge they will face in the Academic Bowl—in this case, Noah’s ability to think quickly on his feet—a structural tool that Konigsburg employs throughout the narrative with all four members of the team. It also foregrounds the idea of kindness, which undergirds all three of the narrative themes explored in this guide: Teamwork, Friendship, and Making Critical Choices; Respecting and Understanding Differences; and Accepting and Embracing Change.

“Doctor Rohmer could not, would not take his eyes off the man at the podium, and Mrs. Olinski thought of Alice in Wonderland. ‘Don't look at me like that!’ Said the king to the Cheshire cat. ‘A cat may look at a king,’ said Alice.”

Mrs. Olinski is sitting beside Dr. Rohmer at the Academic Bowl final and notices how intently he is staring at the commissioner, who Mrs. Olinski referred to previously as “king for the day” (21). This quote captures the narrative’s first refence to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—a key motif throughout the story along with Lewis Carroll’s sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass. Julian hides clues in a copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to invite the other members of The Souls to a tea party. The final question of the Academic Bowl is about Lewis Carroll and his character, Humpty Dumpty.

“Dr. Rohmer was not amused. He gave Mrs. Olinski a capsule lecture on what multiculturalism really means […] ‘Mrs. Olinski,’ Dr. Rohmer asked, ‘would you like it if people called you a cripple?’ […] For all his training, Dr. Rohmer would never believe that cripples themselves are a diverse group, and some make jokes.”

In exploring the theme of Respecting and Understanding Differences, Konigsberg’s plot includes many moments in which Mrs. Olinski and The Souls encounter ignorance and offensive attitudes about their backgrounds and identities. Here, Mrs. Olinski humorously answers Dr. Rohmer’s question about how she chose her team with a joke about her team’s hair colors. When that falls flat, she reassures him that the members of her team come from a variety of different racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds, specifically noting that Julian’s family is Indian. In his ignorance, Rohmer incorrectly assumes that Mrs. Olinski means Native American and proceeds to scold her while at the same time emphasizing her status as a “cripple.” Scenes like this one that highlight the bigotry to which Mrs. Olinski and the members of her team (most notably, Julian Singh) are subject underscores the sense of belonging, teamwork, and friendship that Mrs. Olinski and The Souls find in each other—one that seems to arm them against the ignorance of those outside their small community of kindreds, here evidenced by Mrs. Olinski feeling sorry for Rohmer’s narrow-mindedness and ignorance rather than taking offence at it.

“When we finally got together, I thought we would have fun. We did not. Either I had changed, or they had changed, or all of us had. I concluded that many friendships are born and maintained for purely geographical reasons. I preferred Ginger.”

Nadia’s narrative voice is deeply introspective and analytical, revealing the comfort her character finds in simple, clear explanations. During Nadia’s visit with her father in Florida, she feels awkward when she’s united with some of her old school friends. Rather than dwell on the fact that she no longer enjoys the company of old friends, Nadia develops a logical explanation that makes sense to her and moves on. This quote also shows Nadia’s preference for the uncomplicated relationship she has with her dog, Ginger, versus the more complex relationships she has with family and friends.

“‘Someone has written a book about the intelligence of animals. Border collies are the smartest.’ ‘Ginger would not be listed. She is a mixed breed. Like me.’ ‘What's your mix?’ ‘Half-Jewish; Half Protestant.’ ‘That's good’ he said. ‘Like corn. It's called hybrid vigor.’”

This conversation between Ethan and Nadia (Ethan speaks first, followed by Nadia) during their visit with their grandparents in Century Village in Florida marks the beginning of their friendship and contributes to the novel’s discussion of Respecting and Understanding Differences. In this quote Ethan, who is developing a crush on Nadia, uses one of his many facts to connect to a key element of Nadia’s identity, forging a bond between them.

“During old times, I had oohed and aaahed at the digging out, but that evening it seemed as exciting as watching a red light change.”

On the beach, Nadia watches the turtle patrol dig out a nest and inventory the hatchlings and eggs—an event she used to love participating in with both her parents that now feels tainted by her feelings of resentment over her parents’ divorce. Nadia is feeling displaced and unappreciated, and she is starkly aware that the “old times” included her mother, not Margaret, as a family member. The scene defines Nadia’s starting point in her arc toward Accepting and Embracing Change.

“She must have been quite proud of her loggerheads. They got her my grandpa, and now they got her my dad. I did not care. I had Ginger. I prefer animals with fur and some measure of intelligence […] Inside me there was a lot of best friendship that no one but Ginger was using.”

Nadia displaces most of her anger and resentment about the disruption caused by her parents’ divorce onto Margaret (whom she sees as an intruder in their family), indicating the challenge she faces of Accepting and Embracing Change. Nadia’s love of Ginger is reiterated in the second part of this quote, which also highlights Nadia’s loneliness and need to cling to the familiar and constant in her life for comfort.

“Why does everyone think they know what is important to me? This was important. This is important. Do you think it is right that you should know and Ethan should know, and I should not?”

In further evidence of the difficulty inherent in Accepting and Embracing Change (particularly when that change involves pain and loss), Nadia replies angrily to her father after he tells her that he didn’t think it was important to share that Margaret had set up Nadia’s mother’s interview. Nadia feels insignificant, overlooked, and sidelined within her own family at a time when she most needs to feel connected and secure. This quote is one of the few times that Nadia says how she really feels rather than silently stewing. However, rather than reassuring her or apologizing, Nadia’s father simply says, “I didn’t know Ethan knew” (48), making matters worse.

“I have decided not to spend your child custody time on turtle walks with Margaret and her grandson. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.”

Here, Nadia’s outburst underscores the fury and hurt that she feels, which reaches a peak and explodes. No longer being cryptic about her feelings, Nadia spells out to her father that she does not want to share the limited time she has with him with Margaret. In response, her father looks at his watch, turning Nadia’s fury into sad disappointment.

“Margaret and I need your help, Nadia. So do the turtles. Sometimes one species has to help another get settled.”

This scene highlights the symbolism of the rescued turtles, which anchors Nadia’s backstory. Grandpa Izzy begs Nadia to come and help rescue the hatchlings from the storm to help her understand Margaret’s “interference” with her family—Margaret, who can seem like another “species,” is helping Nadia’s broken family resettle just as she is helping the turtles to find their way to the sea—a turning point for Nadia as she starts to see her situation from another perspective.

“The storm in our private lives had picked him up and put him out of place. Me, too. I, too, had been picked up from one place and set down in another. I, too, had been stranded. We both needed help resettling.”

When Nadia’s father asks her to explain about turtle lifecycles, specifically what will happen if the turtle hatchlings get lost in the storm, Nadia finally connects the dots and sees the rescue of the turtles as a symbol of the challenges in her own family. The parallel between her life and the lifecycle of the turtles becomes clear, and as she looks at her father, she understands that he is also suffering, like a displaced turtle hatchling. In this moment Nadia’s anger disburses and her journey toward Accepting and Embracing Change begins.

“Because my name is Potter but not Lucas, I have been a disappointment to every one of my teachers during my previous six years—kindergarten counts.”

Living in the shadow of his high-achieving, older brother forms the premise for Ethan’s arc toward Respecting and Understanding Differences, learning to celebrate and appreciate it in himself and others. In this quote, Ethan reveals his deep-seated sense of inferiority to his older brother, Lucas, whom Ethan has always felt eclipsed by for as long as he can remember and who has colored every aspect of Ethan’s school and home life. Ethan is a quiet, brooding, and observant student, who keeps to himself to avoid further comparisons to Lucas. In the course of the novel, Ethan gains the confidence to dispel his negative self-image through Friendship, Teamwork, and Making Critical Choices in community with The Souls.

“I never told Nadia how much I liked seeing the halo the sunlight made of her hair. Sometimes silence is a habit that hurts.”

Ethan’s time with Nadia in Florida provides contrast to the confidence he gains spending time with her at Sillington house and preparing for the Academic Bowl. In this quote, Ethan muses about how much he enjoyed seeing Nadia’s red hair in the sunlight while they were both in Florida helping turtle hatchlings. This quote hints at the strong feelings Ethan is developing for Nadia while at the same time revealing that Ethan is aware that his socially awkward, silent nature will prevent him from acting on these feelings—hurting him in the long run.

“Julian Singh quickly took the trophy for being the strangest person to ride the bus. It took only two days for the other kids to make his life miserable […] No normal person would continue to be cheerful and wear short pants.”

The beginning of Ethan’s arc reveals the way his negative self-image (as Lucas’s quiet, unremarkable brother) prohibits him from interceding in a situation he knows is wrong. Ethan sees Julian being bullied for his British accent, his dark skin, and his unfailingly polite responses to abuse, but he does not initially step in to help Julian. Instead, Ethan continues to “observe,” and, as this quote demonstrates, he is impressed by Julian’s resilience and ability to stay true to himself—something Ethan instinctively longs for in himself. Ethan is curious about Julian, and eventually Ethan’s curiosity gives way to kindness as he steps in to protect Julian from an ambush.

“Whenever someone makes out a guest list, the people not on it become officially uninvited, and that makes them the enemies of the invited. Guest lists are just a way of choosing sides.”

Ethan’s observations about Julian’s tea party invitations reveal the thoughtfulness and empathy implicit in his character. Julian’s “guest list” is completely secret, and the details of the party are hidden in books—ensuring that only someone who enjoys puzzles and really wants to attend will go. This quote suggests Ethan understands how difficult it can be to find a sense of belonging in middle school and also that Ethan has been “officially uninvited” in the past.

“My choice was not half wrong; it was all wrong. I was on the verge of asking her to take it back and give me a refund when the clerk emerged from the back room carrying the puzzle box all wrapped in pink paper.”

This scene further emphasizes the challenges of navigating social relationships in a middle school context. Konigsberg creates a comically awkward situation in which Ethan is forced to buy the store’s only remaining puzzle for Julian: a pink heart-shaped puzzle that the clerk assumes is a present for his girlfriend. While the humor of this moment is predicated on heteronormative gender stereotypes, it does convey a sense of the painful awkwardness so often inherent in this coming-of-age phase of growing up. However, despite not knowing much about Julian, Ethan senses that he will not be judged for the color of the gift or its wrapping, but rather that Julian will appreciate the contents, which are perfect. This correct assumption reveals Julian’s non-judgmental nature and Ethan’s keen sense of observation.

“Something had happened at Sillington house. Something made me pull sounds out of my silence the way that Julian pulled puzzle pieces out of Nadia's hair. Had I gained something at Sillington house? Or had I lost something there? The answer was yes.”

Ethan’s musings as he leaves Julian’s tea party emphasize the importance of Sillington house in each of The Souls’ character arcs—it is the setting that enables them to become who they need and want to be. In the company of The Souls, Ethan feels heard and seen, not as Lucas’s brother but as Ethan himself. The second part of the quote, “yes” as the answer to an either-or question, is repeated at the end of the book—a way for Konigsberg to subtly emphasize an underlying theme of the book: the nuance and complexity of the world and the people in it. In this instance, Ethan has both gained (friendship, understanding, and confidence) and lost (his sense of inferiority and anxiety in social situations)— a powerful reflection of the effect The Souls have on each other and on Mrs. Olinski.

“I believe that she did not recognize him, for the person yelling Bravo! was Ethan, The Soul—not Ethan, the silent.”

Here, Julian summarizes Ethan’s character arc: a transformation from a quiet, self-conscious, and reserved student to one who is comfortable expressing his love of theater with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, Ethan interprets Mrs. Reynolds’s remark about not recognizing him not as an endorsement of his newfound confidence and unselfconsciousness, but as a commentary on his insignificance, which is underscored when Mrs. Reynolds follows up with questions about Lucas. Despite this momentary regression, Julian’s observations indicate that the change in Ethan is underway.

“Did having Arnold as an understudy make Froelich feel like an underdog? I was not without worry.”

This scene serves to highlight Julian’s perceptive nature and hyperawareness of potential conflict brewing around him. At the Annie rehearsals, he imagines how Michael must be feeling as the dog understudy’s owner and senses a potential problem related to those feelings. Throughout the narrative, Julian’s ability to correctly judge people’s character is frequently demonstrated. In this situation, Julian is correct to be worried, even though it is ultimately Jared and Ham (best friends of Michael) who cause the disruption that Julian anticipates.

“Before her cup was empty, she felt something lift from her shoulders. Was it jealousy or injury? Was it anger? Was it all of the above? She replaced her emptied cup in its saucer. She waited. She was calm.”

Mrs. Olinski drinks her first cup of tea at Sillington house, where she went to visit with her old friends. Before the moment captured in this quote, Mrs. Olinski was overcome with jealousy and rage at seeing her friends with their grandchildren, a bitter reminder of everything she has lost. Mr. Singh, with his mystical ability to read people, wheels Mrs. Olinski into the house and pours her tea. This quote highlights the ways in which simple acts of kindness frequently provide the exact balm that the central characters need throughout the novel to begin healing their individual hurts, insecurities, and loneliness, reinforcing the thematic importance of kindness to the story as a whole. The benefit of slowing down to enjoy the simple act of drinking tea is also a symbolic thread that runs throughout the narrative.

However, note that the vaguely “mystical” abilities and overall ethos that both Julian and Mr. Singh exhibit throughout the story add to the whimsical, almost fable-like tone of Konigsberg’s narrative but also situate the Singhs within both the “magical negro” and “model minority” tropes as the only characters of color in the novel.

“Now, you must put down anchor, look around, enjoy this port of call. Your stay will be brief. You must do it, Mrs. Olinski.”

As Mrs. Olinski drives Mr. Singh and Julian back to Sillington house after The Souls’ victory at the Academic Bowl, she shares with Mr. Singh that she is feeling strangely sad, despite the win. Mr. Singh helps Mrs. Olinski to understand her own “journey” toward Accepting and Embracing Change by slowing down to enjoy the simple but meaningful things in life.