The Thing About Georgie

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying and ableism.

“‘You’d like him. I hung out with him the other day when you were sick.’

All of a sudden Georgie knew that he did not want Russ to be their new partner. He’d rather have anyone else, even Jeanie the Meanie, but not Russ Wilkins.”

After Andy reveals that he and Russ have hung out together, Georgie becomes jealous and rejects the idea of bringing Russ into their group. This quote illustrates Georgie’s concern about his best friend making other friends. This quote marks the beginning of Georgie’s conflict with Andy and Russ. This quote relates to the theme of Prevailing Through the Hardships of Friendship.

“Look at that list again. Would Georgie have to stand on his tiptoes to see out your bedroom window? How easy would it be for him to brush his teeth at your bathroom sink? Would he need to pull over a chair if he wanted to get some ice cream out of your freezer?

I think you should keep all that in mind.”

In this quote, the unnamed narrator asks the reader to consider how architectural elements of the average house are not built with accommodations for little people in mind. This quote helps frame some of the conflicts that Georgie encounters throughout the novel and helps the reader connect to Georgie’s unique point of view.

“The thing about Georgie’s parents was that they were musicians, real professional musicians, in a symphony orchestra. They had been since before Georgie was born, so he’d been surrounded by music his whole life.”

This quote uses the titular motif to explain that one of the most important aspects of Georgie’s parents is their passion for music. This is an important detail that contributes to Georgie’s feelings about his new sibling as the chapters progress.