Key quotes Face

"disability". Instead of punching the Priest, Tony, who implied this, he reasons with him and explains he has not

He doesn't get violent and aggressive at the suggestion he has a

"Maybe I deserve this. Maybe I should have believed in God more."

He feels guilty for the way he behaved before the accident and even causing Mark to get injured due to his naivety in getting in the car and leading him to do the same.

the hospital radio is "bad for your health."

He hasn't changed that much since the accident as he still makes jokes like when his friends visit about how

"reminded Martin of how he used to be."

Meeting Anthony made him feel like his old self as he...

Almost every page of Martin's school reports said that he could do better but that he needed to pay more attention. Teachers...could see that he was now keen to learn

Shows his teachers knew he did not care about studying at the beginning of the book but he had changed by the end.

"Martin learnt quickly to take every day as it came and never expect one day to be the same as the last"

Shows how Martin no longer takes life for granted and has become resilient, mature and different to how you expect.

"had really cheered him up." Because of this "inspired" meeting, "He'd...forgotten about his face and became more interested in his character"

after meeting Anthony, who has had face disfigurements since he was born, his confidence grew stronger as "Anthony

bows "like an actor takes a bow"

after the joke about holiday sex he does this to the class showing how vain, attention-seeking and wanting to be the class joker he is.

"I'm sure you didn't want to offend me, so thanks for the card but you should know that I am well."

he doesn't get angry with the girl who gave him the card despite explaining that he was hurt by her card

Martin says Dancemania is going to be "all black music" and "full of blacks".

Zephaniah may have done this to show how people can be ignorant, wrongly stereotype and be judgemental and prejudiced. This is even more significant as Martin will experience some of this for himself after the accident.

"Promised himself not to lose his temper if he ever got into a similar situation."

Zephaniah shows this fight with Simon Hill acts as a turning point in the novel for Martin as after this he,

"holiday sex"

when his teacher is reminding the class to use the time constructively and not give the school a bad name he makes a joke about...

"Martin saw school as somewhere he went because he had to by law, so the least he could do while he was there was to have some fun."

Foreshadows how his desire to have fun and be carefree even when studying might lead to getting him in trouble with the law if his immature attitude to class impacts on his life

"He chose not to speak to Simon Hill but he also decided not to make him an enemy."

Learns from his experiences and the episode with the girl who gave him the card and decides not to hold a grudge against the boy he had a fight with.

"the voice in his head reminded him of his promise to stay cool. Instead of all out war, Martin began a war of words with her... She's what I call a facialist."

Martin does not get angry when the girl says he is putting her off her food and shows he is getting more mature with how he deals with ignorant people. He uses a play on words of face and racist to show she is discriminating against him in a way he once discriminated against Natalie's friends revealing he is learning what it is like to suffer from the narrow-mindedness of others. Zephaniah may have used this to show readers how quickly people can prejudice others and also to depict people who suffer from discrimination in this way having to learn how to go about dealing with it.

"Who you calling poxy? Simon backed off. 'I know you're not poxy. I just said I don't care if you look a bit poxy.' Martin couldn't control himself any longer."

Martin is quick to get angry when first coming to terms with his injury and how others treat him because of it as shown in the episode with Simon Hill when he gets in a fight.

I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

Martin takes responsibility for their disqualification shows he has matured and is less of an egotistical and selfish person at the end of the novel.

"the voice in his head said, No. Just talk to him."

Martin's conscience guides him to act more maturely with Tony having learnt from what happened with Simon Hill

"I am the same race and I have the same abilities."

Martin's reaction to the minister implying he is disabled shows he has changed and realised the error in what he used to do by prejudicing others based upon race or anything else. This also shows he has learnt from the Simon Hill incident and, although he still gets angry, can better explain his feelings with words.

"Stop thinking about yourself for once, Martin"

Natalie is annoyed that Martin doesn't support her commercial as she thinks he is jealous.

"'I haven't got black friends,' she replied firmly. "I've just got friends.'"

Natalie showing Martin to be narrow-minded and racist at the beginning for implying she shouldn't be talking to her new friends because of his own racist attitude.

'Officer, there's a man over there with a gun!' ... Martin put on his 'reasonable' face. 'What's the matter? Can't ya tek a joke?'

Use of this dialogue shows Martin pushes the boundaries of what he can get away with even with the law and hints at the potential danger of what is to come for people if they behave like this. The ironic use of Martin getting away with something because of how he looks which is foreboding the terrible injury that he will suffer that will mean he no longer does this sort of thing.

"he threw the card in the bin in a moment of hurt and and anguish and shouted, 'I'm not ill - I'm not bloody ill.'

When Martin received the card from the girl wishing that he will get well soon. Shows he still gets angry about how others are now treating him but also serves as a turning point where he starts to become more empathetic and understanding of others and able to explain his view with words rather than his fists.