outside the lines.” day of watching my backup shortstop was “One enough. I stand it. I loved routine, couldn’t repeatedness” Eastertime the merchants of the West End Spinelli uses dashes to set off phrases. The author “Every Shopping district---three blocks on Marshall seems to use the dash as an interruption or a quick Street---sponsored a coloring pause for the reader to emphasize the phrase. His contest.” use of dashes also emphasizes his attention to precision. day for two weeks line “Every pictures---were printed in the Times Herald.” frequently sharpened points “My outside the lines.” stepped inside and stayed there---cozy, “I safe.” even fantasized about The author lists several scenarios fantasizing about “I neatness.” set out to tidy up the his perfection. He figured out that he was trying to “…I world.” spread my peanut butter evenly over my become perfect. “I bread.” never said bad words (unless you count “I He continued to try harder and be neater, and still “poop”).” hardly ever laughed out he lost. Neatness and perfection were not enough. “I loud.” For all my neatness, my sharp “Funny thing; pencil points, my devotion to the right side of the line, I never won the West End Shopping District coloring contest. I had what seemed to be a perfect “Often on a spelling test, winning touchdown in a pickup game, a new haircut—only to come home and find knots in my yo-yo string.”
outside the lines.” “One day of watching my backup shortstop was enough. I couldn’t stand it. I loved routine, repeatedness” “Every Eastertime the merchants of the West End Shopping district---three blocks on Marshall Street---sponsored a coloring contest.” “Every day for two weeks line pictures---were printed in the Times Herald.” “My frequently sharpened points outside the lines.” “I stepped inside and stayed there---cozy, safe.” Spinelli uses dashes to set off phrases. The author seems to use the dash as an interruption or a quick pause for the reader to emphasize the phrase. His use of dashes also emphasizes his attention to precision. “I even fantasized about neatness.” “…I set out to tidy up the world.” “I spread my peanut butter evenly over my bread.” “I never said bad words (unless you count “poop”).” “I hardly ever laughed out loud.” “Funny thing; For all my neatness, my sharp pencil points, my devotion to the right side of the line, I never won the West End Shopping District coloring contest. “Often I had what seemed to be a perfect on a spelling test, winning touchdown in a pickup game, a new haircut—only to come home and find knots in my yo-yo string.” The author lists several scenarios fantasizing about his perfection. He figured out that he was trying to become perfect. He continued to try harder and be neater, and still he lost. Neatness and perfection were not enough.