About the nature of cruelty and empathy:
* "If he had only been bigger and stronger, he could have made Palmer let him go. But he was small and weak, and Palmer was big and strong. That's why it was all right for Palmer to hurt him, and for all the other boys to stand by and watch."
* "But there was something about Palmer that made him different, that made him cruel. He was always finding things to pick on, always making other people feel bad."
* "Maybe he was a coward, but he knew that it was wrong to let Palmer do this, even if it meant that he had to get hurt himself."
About the struggle with morality:
* “It didn’t seem right, didn’t seem fair. But he didn’t know what he could do about it."
* "He wanted to be brave. He wanted to be like the other boys. But he also knew that he couldn’t do what Palmer wanted him to do."
* "Maybe it was the wrong thing to do, but he didn’t want to let Palmer win."
About the power of friendship and compassion:
* "He had to think about what was right, not what was easy. He had to think about what kind of person he wanted to be."
* "He knew that he was going to have to stand up to Palmer, even if it meant that he would get hurt."
* "He looked at the little white rat, and he knew that he couldn’t let him die."
About the nature of heroism:
* "Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is to stand up for what's right, even when it's hard."
* "He didn’t know if he could do it, but he knew that he had to try."
* "He was just a small boy, but he knew that he had to do something."
These quotes highlight the themes of courage, empathy, and the struggle with morality that are at the heart of "Wringer." Though the story itself is simple, the messages it conveys are profound and resonate with readers of all ages.