There was always a reasonable expectation of violence, that somebody would get his nose broken or a bottle shattered on his head, usually as a result of talking shit, vaguely disrespecting someone, something; the constriction of my shoulders at parties was extreme.
This quote is important because it describes the violence that occurred
I would begin to feel less like I was delivering a speech and more that a speech was delivering me
Uses figurative language to convey an idea
I can still see a sophomore vomiting into his file folders soon after learning he’d be facing the defending state champions in a semifinal round.
The author uses this quote to describe the feelings the kids went through before the debates. This gives the audience a better idea of the context.
Although high school debate is often considered the thinking person’s—the nerd’s—alternative to sports, my memories of it are primarily somatic: the starched collar of the dress shirt against my recently shaved neck, small cuts and razor bumps deepening the sensation; the constant gentle pressure of the tie; how my gait and posture adjusted under the direction of the suit; the way the slacks always felt high and tight because I normally let my baggy jeans sag to whatever level we white midwestern adolescents had tacitly established as our norm.
This quote caught my attention immediately. The author uses vivid imagery to describe his appearance.