Just be patient, she told herself, and with the mounting pages, the strength of her writing fist grew.
She didn't dare to look up, but she could feel their frightened eyes hanging onto her as she hauled the words in and breathed them out. A voice played the notes inside her. This, it said, is your accordion.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote illustrates the struggle of expressing oneself under pressure while acknowledging the support of one’s inner voice.
In this quote, the author describes a moment of vulnerability where a person feels the weight of others' expectations while trying to communicate her thoughts and emotions. The reference to an 'accordion' symbolizes the complexity and range of feelings within her, suggesting that despite her apprehension, she has the ability to express herself fully and harmoniously. It emphasizes the importance of self-expression and the inner strength that lies within individuals, even when faced with external challenges.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared in a motivational speech about facing fears and embracing one's voice.
More from Markus Zusak
All quotes →It felt as though the whole globe was dressed in snow. Like it has pulled it on, the way you pull on a sweater. Next to the train line, footprints were sunken to their shins. Trees wore blankets of ice. As you may expect, someone has died.
Because you don't learn anything unless you can find the patience to read. TV takes that away from you. It robs you from your mind.
Or had she always loved him? It's likely. Restricted as she was from speaking, she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to drag her hand across and pull her over. It didn't matter where. Her mouth, her neck, her cheek. Her skin was empty for it, waiting.
I think it's a mistake to think, 'Am I going to write a young adult book, or do I desperately want to write a book for adults?' I think the better ambition is to try to write someone's favorite book, because those categorizations of adult, young adult, become kind of superfluous.
I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.
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Tomorrow I will curse the dawn, but there will be other, earlier nights, and the dawns will be no longer hell laid out in alarms and raw bells and sirens.
Regardless of your age, you will always have adventures, unexpected joys and unexpected sorrows.
When our time's up, it's up. All the money in the world won't buy you one more day.