Motherless Brooklyn

by

Jonathan Lethem

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Motherless Brooklyn makes teaching easy.
The giant, also referred to at times as the “pierogi monster” (due to his Polish roots) or the “kumquat eater,” is an impossibly large man whom Lionel estimates to be well over 300 pounds. The giant is responsible for Frank Minna’s murder, and it seems clear from the outset of the novel that he was hired by someone else to do the job—yet the resentment and hatred Lionel feels for the giant due to his murder of Frank fuels Lionel’s desire to bring the giant to justice. The giant says little throughout the novel, yet his ominous and looming presence serves as a dark reminder of the real and violent consequences of making a life within New York City’s vast, sprawling criminal underworld. Gerard Minna is ultimately revealed to have been responsible for hiring the giant to murder Frank—a necessary “sacrifice” in proving Gerard’s loyalty to the Fujisaki Corporation following the revelation that together, he and Frank were fleecing (or stealing from) the Japanese.

The Giant Quotes in Motherless Brooklyn

The Motherless Brooklyn quotes below are all either spoken by The Giant or refer to The Giant. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mystery and the Futility of Answers Theme Icon
).
Walks Into Quotes

I gritted my teeth while my brain went Guy walks into the ambulance ramp stabs you in the goddamn emergency gut says I need an immediate stab in the garbage in the goddamn walk-in ambulance says just a minute looks in the back says I think I’ve got a stab in the goddamn walk-in immediate ambuloaf ambulamp octoloaf oafulope.

Oafyoulope!” I screamed, tears in my eyes.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Frank Minna, Gilbert Coney, The Giant
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
One Mind Quotes

"I've got Tourette's," I said.

"Yeah, well, threats don't work with me.”

"Tourette's," I said.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), The Giant (speaker), Frank Minna, Gerard Minna/Roshi Jerry
Page Number: 204
Explanation and Analysis:
Auto Body Quotes

"Roshi says this thing about guilt," she said after a minute. “That it's selfish, just a way to avoid taking care of yourself. Or thinking about yourself. I guess that's sort of two different things. I can't remember."

"Please don't quote Gerard Minna to me on the subject of guilt," I said. "That's a little hard to swallow under the present circumstances.”

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Kimmery (speaker), Frank Minna, Gerard Minna/Roshi Jerry , Tony Vermonte, The Giant
Page Number: 256
Explanation and Analysis:
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Motherless Brooklyn PDF

The Giant Quotes in Motherless Brooklyn

The Motherless Brooklyn quotes below are all either spoken by The Giant or refer to The Giant. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mystery and the Futility of Answers Theme Icon
).
Walks Into Quotes

I gritted my teeth while my brain went Guy walks into the ambulance ramp stabs you in the goddamn emergency gut says I need an immediate stab in the garbage in the goddamn walk-in ambulance says just a minute looks in the back says I think I’ve got a stab in the goddamn walk-in immediate ambuloaf ambulamp octoloaf oafulope.

Oafyoulope!” I screamed, tears in my eyes.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Frank Minna, Gilbert Coney, The Giant
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
One Mind Quotes

"I've got Tourette's," I said.

"Yeah, well, threats don't work with me.”

"Tourette's," I said.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), The Giant (speaker), Frank Minna, Gerard Minna/Roshi Jerry
Page Number: 204
Explanation and Analysis:
Auto Body Quotes

"Roshi says this thing about guilt," she said after a minute. “That it's selfish, just a way to avoid taking care of yourself. Or thinking about yourself. I guess that's sort of two different things. I can't remember."

"Please don't quote Gerard Minna to me on the subject of guilt," I said. "That's a little hard to swallow under the present circumstances.”

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Kimmery (speaker), Frank Minna, Gerard Minna/Roshi Jerry , Tony Vermonte, The Giant
Page Number: 256
Explanation and Analysis: