25 All-American Boy Quotes With Page Numbers For Coming Back Home

Get all up in your feelings with our All-American Boy quotes with page numbers. 

All-American Boy is a thrilling coming-of-age story about Wally Day.

Fans of the book admire how author William J. Mann explores themes of guilt, mystery, and returning home. 

Check out our All-American Boy quotes with page numbers below. 

What is All-American Boy?

All-American Boy is a novel by William J. Mann about a gay man named Wally Day who leaves his hometown because of a scandal. 

He returns to his old stomping grounds, must rebuild a relationship with his estranged mothers, and come to terms with the flame he left behind. 

Check out these All-American Boy facts below:

• All-American Boy was published in 2005
• The novel explores how anger, shame, and guilt clash in a small town. 
• Aside from being an author, William J. Mann is also a Hollywood historian. 

What is All-American Boy about?

Wally Day is a struggling actor who had to leave his hometown due to a scandal. 

He confessed to having underage sex in an apple orchard with an adult male. 

Wally receives a call from the local police that his cousin is missing, so he must return to his hometown. 

All-American Boy is a powerful coming-of-age story that explores what happens when we revisit our past and seek closure. 

Does All-American Boy explore dysfunctional family relationships?

Yes, one of the major themes of All-American Boy is the dysfunctional relationships between family members, community members, and ourselves. 

Wally’s mother calls him when his cousin goes missing while she is experiencing mental health episodes. 

Wally must contend with his anger, shame, and guilt and learn to open his heart and empathize more deeply with the people in his family and community. 

To do this authentically, he must address his negative feelings inside himself. 

The novel also explores the complicated world of love, sex, intimacy, and rape culture. 

To learn more, check out our All-American Boy quotes with page numbers below. 

Short All-American Boy quotes about hands

Hands are a powerful theme in All-American Boy; here are some of the most memorable quotes about hands. 

1. “But it’s their hands that fascinate him most.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

2. “Not like the hands of the boys he’s watching now.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

3. “Soft hands, smooth, cupping each other’s hard pink butts.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

4. “Hands so unlike the ones he remembers from this place, hands that remain forever twisted, forever beautiful, in his mind.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

5. “His hands, as Wally remembers them, were like the gnarled, twisted fruit left behind on the trees when the apple pickers were through.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

The top All-American Boy quotes with page numbers about intimacy

Intimacy is a significant theme explored in this novel. 

6. “He watches their faces, their tongues.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

7. “He watches as the boys kiss, as they unbutton each other’s shirts.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

8. “Here in the shadow of the apple trees, they would make love.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

9. “As a boy, Wally had loved this orchard, the sweet fragrance of the cider, the hard tartness of the apples.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

10. “They think they’re hidden among the trees, but Wally knows where to look, how to spy secrets in the shadows.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p6

All-American Boy quotes with page numbers about hooking up

In Wally’s town, people meet at the apple orchard for love. 

11. “Wally rolls down his window and takes time to breathe.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p7

12. “His breath is steaming the window. The show is almost over now.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p7

13. “Somewhere in the orchard, a crow lets out a long and scandalized cry.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p7

14. “Wally watches as they mount their respective bicycles and pedal off in opposite directions.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p7

15. “These are simple boys, the milk under the cream, boys who will remain in Brown’s Mill all their lives, indifferent to the flash and lure of the city.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p7

The best All-American Boy quotes with page numbers about getting out of bed

Wally likes to sleep in and hates getting interrupted in the morning. 

16. “He threw off his sheets and got out of bed.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p8

17. “That’s when the shrill ring of the phone shattered his mood.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p8

18. “His mother’s call had cut through a rare lazy Tuesday morning free of auditions or casting calls.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p8

19. “He’d been awake, but in that dreamy place between night and day, between oblivion and consciousness.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p8

20. “Wally had hopes of sleeping in, of taking the day off, but the shriek of the telephone shot through his morning at a little past eight.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p8

All-American Boy quotes with page numbers about mothers

Wally must redefine his relationship with his mother in the novel.

Here are some of the best quotes about moms. 

21. “My mother is a wreck.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p12

22. “No, it’s my mother. Underneath it all, its always my mother.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p12

23. “Wally was born down there, almost killing his mother in the process.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p11

24. “Then you need to find a new doctor, Mom. I can’t do anything about it.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p8

25. “First, his mother’s call. Now this even more egregious reminder of a past he tried to forget.” — William J. Mann, All-American Boy, Chapter 1, p10

Why is it important for people to read All-American Boy?

The world is a book; if we stay in one place, we only get to read one page. 

All narratives are essential and add to the tapestry of stories that make up our world. 

Writers like James Baldwin revolutionized the novel by adding his narrative to the pool of stories available to the world. 

It is unrealistic and naive to tune out narratives from diverse demographics. 

All-American Boy tells the story of young people struggling to fit into society because of limiting belief systems and homophobia. 

William J. Mann is able to humanize Wally and create an atmosphere where the reader authentically empathizes with Wally’s condition. 

He wants to move on with his life, but old memories haunt his progress. 

Many readers can relate to that theme. 

What is your favorite thing about All-American Boy?

Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.