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.
The optimist in me wants to believe sexuality will eventually become like handwriting: there’s no right way and wrong way to do it. We’re all just wired differently. It's also worth noting that when you meet someone, you never bother to ask if he’s right or left-handed. After all: does it really matter to anyone other than the person holding the pen?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Sexuality should be accepted as a personal and unique aspect of individual identity, similar to handedness.
Jodi Picoult suggests that sexuality is a personal characteristic that varies from person to person, much like how individuals have different ways of writing. She emphasizes the importance of acceptance and understanding, arguing that just as we don't judge someone for being right or left-handed, we should not impose judgments on how people express their sexuality. The focus should be on the individual and their unique identity rather than conforming to societal norms.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about sexual orientation at a university, this quote can highlight the importance of acceptance.
More from Jodi Picoult
All quotes →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.
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.
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.
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?
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
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It is futile to put personality ahead of character, to try to improve relationships with others before improving ourselves.
He that takes a wife, takes care
The most important thing is to have a good relationship with the bike... you have to understand what she wants. I think of a motorcycle as a woman, and I know that sounds silly, but it's true.
My mom was a little weepy. My dad was very logical about it. Once they realized you can't change, they wanted to know that you can be happy and be gay. Once they realized that, they were very cool about it.