Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

by

Ray Lawler

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Act 1, Scene 1 Quotes

That's what the lay-off is. Not just playing around and spending a lot of money, but a time for livin'. You think I haven't sized that up against what other women have? I laugh at them every time they try to tell me. Even waiting for Roo to get back is more exciting than anything they've got.

Related Characters: Olive Leech (speaker), Roo Webber, Pearl Cunningham, Barney Ibbot
Page Number: 15
Explanation and Analysis:

All round would be the regulars—soft city blokes...and then in would come Roo and Barney. They wouldn't say anything...there'd just be the two of them walkin' in, then a kind of wait for a second or two, and quiet. After that, without a word, the regulars'd stand side to let 'em through, just as if they was a—a coupla kings. She always reckoned they made the rest of the mob look like a bunch of skinned rabbits.

Related Characters: Olive Leech (speaker), Roo Webber, Pearl Cunningham, Barney Ibbot, Nancy
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:

Not as good as Roo when he's fit, mind yer, but he could run rings round the best of us. And this time he even made Roo look like a has-been. I never seen Roo git so mad, in no time at all he made it like a running fight between 'em, tryin' to git the better of this kid.

Related Characters: Barney Ibbot (speaker), Roo Webber, Olive Leech, Johnnie Dowd
Page Number: 25
Explanation and Analysis:

Olive: You didn't go with him?

Barney: No.

Olive: Why not?

Barney: I dunno. It was all messed up. You know what Roo's always been to me, a sort of little tin god. I've never seen him in the wrong before.

Related Characters: Olive Leech (speaker), Barney Ibbot (speaker), Roo Webber
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

No, they're not. Someone's taking special care. Other times they've been pretty, but this one's beautiful. You can see.

Related Characters: Olive Leech (speaker), Roo Webber
Related Symbols: Kewpie Dolls
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

Gettin' a bit crowded, maybe you should start upstairs.

Related Characters: Roo Webber (speaker), Olive Leech
Related Symbols: Kewpie Dolls
Page Number: 31
Explanation and Analysis:

It's going to be just the same, isn't it? I mean, you'll still be going to Selby at Christmas time, and—and all the rest. You won't alter anything?

Related Characters: Bubba Ryan (speaker), Roo Webber, Nancy
Page Number: 35
Explanation and Analysis:

But the ordinary bloke's got a way out, he can get married. There's always been a sorta reason why I never could—

Related Characters: Barney Ibbot (speaker), Pearl Cunningham
Page Number: 40
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes

Y'know, it's a funny thing. All the wimmen I've ever knocked around with, there's never been one of them ever knitted anything for me. Now, why d'yer reckon that is?

Related Characters: Barney Ibbot (speaker), Pearl Cunningham
Page Number: 50
Explanation and Analysis:

The way you went on about everythin'—sounded just as if when they arrived, the whole town was gunna go up like a balloon.

Related Characters: Pearl Cunningham (speaker), Roo Webber, Olive Leech, Barney Ibbot
Page Number: 52
Explanation and Analysis:

...We come down here for the lay-off, five months of the year, December to April. That leaves another seven months still hangin'—what d'yer reckon Olive does in that time? Knocks around with other blokes, goes out on the loose every week? No, she doesn't, she just waits for us to come back again—coz she thinks our five months is worth all the rest of the year put together!

Related Characters: Roo Webber (speaker), Olive Leech, Barney Ibbot
Page Number: 60
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, Scene 2 Quotes

Oh, of course I've never been here, it's just the reputation that's been built up among the boys. I reckon you could say it's almost famous, up north.

Related Characters: Johnnie Dowd (speaker), Roo Webber, Barney Ibbot, Bubba Ryan
Page Number: 72
Explanation and Analysis:

H-how can I? All that's happened in a house makes a feeling—you can't tell anyone that. It's between people.

Related Characters: Bubba Ryan (speaker), Roo Webber, Olive Leech, Barney Ibbot, Johnnie Dowd
Page Number: 73
Explanation and Analysis:

Bubba? Is that what they call you? Seems to me they're keeping you in the cradle, too. What's your real name?

Related Characters: Johnnie Dowd (speaker), Roo Webber, Olive Leech, Barney Ibbot, Bubba Ryan
Page Number: 74
Explanation and Analysis:

Yes, and so was he. Both of us sloggin' it out under the sun! Are you tryin' to say that's the same thing as this—a job in a paint factory? Are you?

Related Characters: Roo Webber (speaker), Barney Ibbot, Johnnie Dowd
Page Number: 77
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 1 Quotes

I started off trying to fix up what they broke. After that, I couldn't seem to stop. Emma always sez tryin' to shift heavy furniture on your own's a sign you're crooked on the world. Wonder what spring cleanin' at two o'clock in the morning means?

Related Characters: Olive Leech (speaker), Pearl Cunningham, Emma Leech
Related Symbols: Kewpie Dolls
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:

All right. But the least you can do is to see what you've got as it really is. Take a look at this place now you've pulled down the decorations—what's so wonderful about it? Nothing! It's just an ordinary little room that's a hell of a lot the worse for the wear. And if you'd only come out of your day dream long enough to take a grown up look at the lay off, that's what you'd find with the rest of it.

Related Characters: Pearl Cunningham (speaker), Olive Leech
Related Symbols: Kewpie Dolls, Pearl's Black Dresses
Page Number: 83
Explanation and Analysis:

This is what I call interestin'. The lot of yez squabbling at last 'stead of all that playin' around went on other times. Only thing I'm sorry for is Nancy ain't here. She knew which way the wind was blowin', that one.

Related Characters: Emma Leech (speaker), Roo Webber, Barney Ibbot, Nancy
Page Number: 88
Explanation and Analysis:

You and Barney are two of a pair. Only the time he spent chasin' wimmin, you put in being top dog! Both of you champions! Well, that's all very fine and a lot of fun while it lasts, but last is one thing it just don't do. There's a time for sowing and a time for reaping—and reapin' is what you're doing now.

Related Characters: Emma Leech (speaker), Roo Webber, Barney Ibbot
Page Number: 90
Explanation and Analysis:

He might have been drinking, and this morning he might have forgotten like you said, but this is the only chance I've ever had of comin' close to—I dunno—whatever it is I've been watchin' all these years. You think I'd give that up?

Related Characters: Bubba Ryan (speaker), Roo Webber, Barney Ibbot, Johnnie Dowd
Page Number: 93
Explanation and Analysis:

And it's more than looking—it's havin' another woman walking around knowin' your inside and sorry for you 'coz she thinks you've never been within cooee of the real thing. That's what hurts. It was all true, everythin' I told her was true, an'—and she didn't see any of it.

Related Characters: Olive Leech (speaker), Roo Webber, Pearl Cunningham
Page Number: 98
Explanation and Analysis:
No matches.