Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish

“These names bothered me in sixth grade when I was excited to start middle school and make friends. But now, in eighth grade, my size has become a profit center.”

Marcus assures the reader that the names he is called (the Mastodon of Montgomery Middle, the Springfield Skyscraper, and the Terrible Tower) don’t bother him anymore, and he has turned his size to his advantage. However, mentioning that he was excited to make friends implies that he did not make any and is no longer excited about the process. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that the names affected Marcus deeply and influence how Marcus sees himself.

“My brother keeps high-fiving students as we head outside. They return the high fives but don’t really look at him, or me, for too long. Kids prefer not to pay attention to us unless they have to...”

This quote highlights the way Marcus interprets the responses he and Charlie get from other students before their trip. Initially, Marcus interprets everything negatively, assuming everyone is afraid of him, dislikes him, and is uncomfortable around Charlie. Marcus’s negative self-image distorts his interpretation of other people’s reactions to him.

“I tried to keep cool about most things. When you’re as big as me you can’t get rattled easily or you’ll scare people. But make fun of my brother and all bets are off.”

Stephen is mocking Marcus, calling him Gigantor, and imitating Charlie. In this quote, Marcus is explaining that he doesn’t respond to bullies like Stephen because he is used to people exaggerating any kind of response from him as a physical threat. However, this restraint does not apply when Charlie is the target. This quote highlights both Marcus’s fiercely protective stance toward Charlie and his belief that everyone sees him as a physical threat.