Whether it was power they sought, or revenge, or love-well, those were all just different forms of hunger. The bigger the hole inside you, the more desperate you became to fill it.
Jodi PicoultRead
Normal, in our house, is like a blanket too short for a bed--sometimes it covers you just fine, and other times it leaves you cold and shaking; and worst of all, you never know which of the two it's going to be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Normalcy can be unpredictable and inconsistent, causing discomfort in familial situations.
This quote by Jodi Picoult reflects the complexities of family dynamics, where the concept of 'normal' can provide comfort one moment and create turmoil the next. The imagery of a blanket that is too short highlights the uncertainty we often face in our relationships, as expectations can lead to feelings of warmth and security, or abrupt exposure to discomfort and distress.
Themes
NormalFamilyComfortUncertaintyExpectations
In practice
Example use cases
In a family gathering, this quote can be shared to evoke discussion about the different experiences family members have.
More from Jodi Picoult
All quotes →she told me she'd be a phoenix." The image of the mythical creature rising from the ashes glitters in my mind. "They don't really exist." "She said that depends on whether or not there's someone who can see them.
Jodi PicoultRead
for 100,000 (dollars), you [can] flatten a house with a wrecking ball. Imagine how much less it [takes] to destroy something than it [does] to build it in the first place.
Jodi PicoultRead
But if you seek forgiveness, doesn't that automatically mean you cannot be a monster? By definition, doesn't that desperation make you human again?
Jodi PicoultRead
when you [lose someone], it feels like the hole in your gum when a tooth falls out. You can chew, you can eat, you have plenty of other teeth, but your tongue keeps going back to that empty place, where all nerves are still a little raw
Jodi PicoultRead
But what if your obsession has nothing to do with drugs or thrills or money? What if what you want most in the world is to recapture the way life was a week, a month, a year ago-and you are willing to do whatever it takes?
Jodi PicoultRead
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