Shall I tell her? Shall I be a kind and merciful narrator…
““Shall I tell her? Shall I be a kind and merciful narrator and take our girl aside? Shall I touch her new, red heart and make her understand that she is no longer one of the tribe of heartless children, nor even the owner of the wild and infant heart of thirteen-year-old girls and boys? Oh, September! Hearts, once you have them locked up in your chest, are a fantastic heap of tender and terrible wonders - but they must be trained. Beatrice could have told her all about it. A heart can learn ever so many tricks, and what sort of beast it becomes depends greatly upon whether it has been taught to sit up or to lie down, to speak or to beg, to roll over or to sound alarm, to guard or to attack, to find or to stay. But the trick most folk are so awfully fond of learning, the absolute second they've got hold of a heart, is to pretend they don't have one at all. It is the very first danger of the hearted. Shall I give fair warning, as neither you nor I was given?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The heart must be guided and trained, otherwise it pretends to be nonexistent, leading to danger.
In simple terms: Hearts need guidance or they become dangerous.
Key Takeaway
Teach your heart purpose and discipline.
Themes
growth
training
danger
self-awareness
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- parenting
- relationships
- personal development
- mental health
- education
Key Concepts
psychology
emotional intelligence
behavioral conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you train your emotional responses?
- What risks arise when we deny our feelings?
A Different Perspective
People may ignore their emotions, which can cause hidden harm.