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.
Jodi PicoultRead
No one ever asks a kid for her opinion, but it seems to me that growing up means you stop hoping for the best, and start expecting the worst.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Growing up often leads to a loss of hope and an increase in pessimism.
In this quote, Jodi Picoult reflects on the bittersweet transition from childhood to adulthood, highlighting how the innocence of youth is replaced by the often harsh realities of life. While children tend to hold onto hope and optimistic expectations, adulthood can bring a more cynical outlook, where individuals begin to prepare for disappointment rather than dream of possibilities.
Themes
Growing UpHopePessimismLifeChildhood
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the changes that come with age, this quote could illustrate the shift in mindset.
More from Jodi Picoult
All quotes βWhether 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
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
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