I would try to be the shepherd for Billy and all the kids like him.
-- Narrator (chapter 6)

Importance: Odie has this thought after Clyde Brickman preaches about God as a shepherd. Feeling disappointed by God, Odie decides he will have to assume the role of shepherd for his friends. This moment illustrates an initial emotional stir in Odie. He carries this resolve to remain loyal to his those in need, to those closest to him throughout the novel, and despite his many struggles.

...God is a tornado.
-- Narrator (chapter 11)

Importance: Odie paints these words on the Lincoln School water tower just prior to fleeing with his friends. The line illustrates his fractured sense of spirituality, and his realization that anything could happen. Unable to believe in God as a steady and secure figure, Odie must learn to rely on his companionships for a sense of peace and stability.

I thought maybe it wasn't love that consumed...
-- Narrator (chapter 18)