--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He said the difference between the male…" description: "\"“He said the difference between the male and female modes of thought were easily illustrated by the thoughts of a boy and girl, sitting on a park bench..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg" --- # He said the difference between the male and female modes… ![“He said the difference between the male and female modes of thought were easily illustrated by the thoughts of a boy and girl, sitting on a park bench, looking at the full moon. The boy thinks of the universe, its immensity and mystery; the girl thinks, "I must wash my hair." When I read this I…” quote by Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg) > ““He said the difference between the male and female modes of thought were easily illustrated by the thoughts of a boy and girl, sitting on a park bench, looking at the full moon. The boy thinks of the universe, its immensity and mystery; the girl thinks, "I must wash my hair." When I read this I was frantically upset; I had to put the magazine down. It was clear to me at once that I was not thinking as a girl thought; the full moon would never as long as I lived remind me to wash my hair. I knew if I showed it to my mother she would say, "Oh it is just that maddening male nonsense, women have no brains." That would not convince me; surely a New York psychiatrist must know. And women like my mother were in the minority, I could see that. Moreover I did not want to be like my mother, with her virginal brusqueness, her innocence. I wanted men to love me, and I wanted to think of the universe when I looked at the moon. I felt trapped, stranded; it seemed there had to be a choice where there couldn't be a choice.”” [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gender stereotypes limit thought, forcing women to choose between societal expectations and personal aspirations. **In simple terms:** Stereotypes restrict thinking. Key Takeaway Challenge limiting beliefs. Themes gender identity freedom Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - career planning - personal growth Key Concepts feminist theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you resist gendered expectations? - What steps expand your worldview? A Different Perspective Not all differences are innate; culture shapes them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Full moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-moon/) [Girl Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-thinks-529629/) [Girl Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-thought/) [Illustrated Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrated-thoughts-2986176/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-moon-608314/) ## Related quotes > [“When i was a child , i thought , the moon was a banana, the full moon was a big cake. when i was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushil/when-i-was-a-child-i-thought-the-moon-was-a-banana-the-full-moon-was/) [Sushil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushil/) > [“I am such a bad girl," she thought. Yet...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-am-such-a-bad-girl-she-thought-yet/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“I grew up expecting to see the first man land on the moon. It never occurred to me that I’d see the last one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-grew-up-expecting-to-see-the-first-man-land-on-the-moon-it-never/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [When I Was A Little Kid I Thought The Moon Followed Our Car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila/when-i-was-a-little-kid-i-thought-the-moon-followed-our-car/) [Sheila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila/) > [“They must have thought I'm moon. Therefore they made known to me their hopes and expectations that is beyond flesh and blood. I'm only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darmie-orem/they-must-have-thought-i-m-moon-therefore-they-made-known-to-me-their/) [Darmie Orem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darmie-orem/) > [If a star fell each time I thought about you, the moon would truly realize what loneliness really feels like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-a-star-fell-each-time-i-thought-about-you-the-moon-would-truly/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Nature becomes really and truly intimate in strange and lonely places. I have been actually worrying myself for days at the thought that after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/nature-becomes-really-and-truly-intimate-in-strange-and-lonely-places/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [If a star fell each time I thought about you, then the moon would truly realize what loneliness was tryly like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-star-fell-each-time-i-thought-about-you-then-the-moon-would-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [During the days in detention, I thought most about the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/during-the-days-in-detention-i-thought-most-about-the-moon/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [When I was a kid I thought the moon followed our car everywhere...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbygail-matlock/when-i-was-a-kid-i-thought-the-moon-followed-our-car-everywhere/) [Abbygail Matlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbygail-matlock/) > [“Shadow thought about how you made the moon seem to come out of the sky and become a silver dollar, and what made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-thought-about-how-you-made-the-moon-seem-to-come-out-of-the/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“And each night in bed I thought of her as the moon came through my window. I could have lowered my shade to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/and-each-night-in-bed-i-thought-of-her-as-the-moon-came-through-my/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [When I was a child, I always thought that the moon followed me ever where I go LoL!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/when-i-was-a-child-i-always-thought-that-the-moon-followed-me-ever/) [Junior Dè Rèál Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-d-r-l-testament/) > [If a star fell each time I thought about you then the moon would truly realize how loneliness is really like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-star-fell-each-time-i-thought-about-you-then-the-moon-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I am glad I didn't understand, because I have rarely felt joy like that, and assurance. It was like one of those dreams where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-am-glad-i-didn-t-understand-because-i-have-rarely-felt-joy-like/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) ## More by Alice Munro > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Not very long ago I was driving with my husband on the back roads of Grey County, which is to the north and east…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/not-very-long-ago-i-was-driving-with-my-husband-on-the-back-roads-of/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Her silent singing wrapped around the story she was telling herself, which she extended further every night on the deck. (Averill often told herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/her-silent-singing-wrapped-around-the-story-she-was-telling-herself/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Something happened here. In your life there are a few places, or maybe only the one place, were something happened, and then there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/something-happened-here-in-your-life-there-are-a-few-places-or-maybe/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [My head was a magpie's nest lined with such bright scraps of information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/my-head-was-a-magpie-s-nest-lined-with-such-bright-scraps-of/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [The thing is to be happy, no matter what. Just try that. You can. It gets to be easier and easier. It's nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-thing-is-to-be-happy-no-matter-what-just-try-that-you-can-it-gets/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [What she wants to do if she can get the time to do it, is not so much to live in the past as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/what-she-wants-to-do-if-she-can-get-the-time-to-do-it-is-not-so-much/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“Children Katy's age had no problem with monotony. In fact they embraced it, diving into it and wrapping the familiar words round their tongues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/children-katy-s-age-had-no-problem-with-monotony-in-fact-they/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“This is what happens. You put it away for a little while, and now and again you look in the closet for something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/this-is-what-happens-you-put-it-away-for-a-little-while-and-now-and/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [She sits in her usual ample armchair, with piles of books and unopened magazines around her. She sips cautiously from the mug of weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/she-sits-in-her-usual-ample-armchair-with-piles-of-books-and-unopened/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [The images, the language, of pornography, and romance are alike; monotonous and mechanically seductive, quickly leading to despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-images-the-language-of-pornography-and-romance-are-alike/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I was a grade B housewife, maybe a B minus. But when I got time to write, I would be unable to finish a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/i-was-a-grade-b-housewife-maybe-a-b-minus-but-when-i-got-time-to/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [She would live now, not read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/she-would-live-now-not-read/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“You would think as you get older your mind would fill up with what they call the spiritual side of things, but mine just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/you-would-think-as-you-get-older-your-mind-would-fill-up-with-what/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [Peoples lives, in Jubilee as elsewhere, were dull, simple, amazing, unfathomable-deep caves paved with kitchen linoleum. . . . What I wanted \[to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/peoples-lives-in-jubilee-as-elsewhere-were-dull-simple-amazing/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) [Explore all 261 Alice Munro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) ## More Full moon quotes > [As hard as I try to live with some degree of faith in my life, I just can't believe that the full moon can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/as-hard-as-i-try-to-live-with-some-degree-of-faith-in-my-life-i-just/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-lawrence-knowles/the-night-walked-down-the-sky-with-the-moon-in-her-hand/) [Frederic Lawrence Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-lawrence-knowles/) > [“The moon grows black before your eyes; soon there will be darkness—ay, darkness in the hour of the full moon. Ye have asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rider-haggard/the-moon-grows-black-before-your-eyes-soon-there-will-be-darkness-ay/) [H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rider-haggard/) > [Now that I think about it, maybe he is a werewolf. I can picture him lunging over the moors in hot pursuit of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-shaffer/now-that-i-think-about-it-maybe-he-is-a-werewolf-i-can-picture-him/) [Mary Ann Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-shaffer/) > [“I looked up its history, and, surprisingly, it has quite a history. You know how in Europe they make you study a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-van-vogt-2/i-looked-up-its-history-and-surprisingly-it-has-quite-a-history-you/) [A.E. van Vogt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-van-vogt-2/) > [“Look at all the resources around you before you make a decision. Look for ways to make your environment work for you. The solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-sutherland/look-at-all-the-resources-around-you-before-you-make-a-decision-look/) [C.D. SUTHERLAND](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-sutherland/) > [“Oh my sweet muse tell me what do I do on such romantic full-moon nights! You inflame my passion, and the moon serenades my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/oh-my-sweet-muse-tell-me-what-do-i-do-on-such-romantic-full-moon/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [You have some severe mental problem I need to be aware of, don’t you? (Shahara) Just because I eat babies for breakfast and pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-have-some-severe-mental-problem-i-need-to-be-aware-of-don-t-you/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Outside everything was uncannily visible in the light of the full moon, but here in the dark shaded alleys the night was conscious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-pain/outside-everything-was-uncannily-visible-in-the-light-of-the-full/) [Barry Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-pain/) > [“Her eyes beamed over the top of the cup like Peterbilt high beams coming over a hillcrest, full moon rising over a mountain lake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-vickers/her-eyes-beamed-over-the-top-of-the-cup-like-peterbilt-high-beams/) [Dennis Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-vickers/) > [“The moon was reigning over their world, glowing its full splendor to all those willing to look up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-serban/the-moon-was-reigning-over-their-world-glowing-its-full-splendor-to/) [Irina Serban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-serban/) > [“It tears my heart just as my heart is torn when on certain nights I watch the full moon shining on the lagoon from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-tears-my-heart-just-as-my-heart-is-torn-when-on-certain-nights-i/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [With passions stilled and one's nature firm, all destinies are in harmony; When the full moon of contemplation is reached you will be pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wu-cheng-en/with-passions-stilled-and-one-s-nature-firm-all-destinies-are-in/) [Wu Cheng'en](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-cheng-en/) > [“might spook Harald and cause him to flee. She had to visit in person. This would be even more risky. Morlunde was a town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/might-spook-harald-and-cause-him-to-flee-she-had-to-visit-in-person/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) [Browse all 317 Full moon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-moon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He said the difference between the male and female modes of thought were easily illustrated by the thoughts of a boy and girl, sitting on a park bench, looking at the full moon. The boy thinks of the universe, its immensity and mystery; the girl thinks, \"I must wash my hair.\" When I read this I was frantically upset; I had to put the magazine down. It was clear to me at once that I was not thinking as a girl thought; the full moon would never as long as I lived remind me to wash my hair. I knew if I showed it to my mother she would say, \"Oh it is just that maddening male nonsense, women have no brains.\" That would not convince me; surely a New York psychiatrist must know. And women like my mother were in the minority, I could see that. Moreover I did not want to be like my mother, with her virginal brusqueness, her innocence. I wanted men to love me, and I wanted to think of the universe when I looked at the moon. I felt trapped, stranded; it seemed there had to be a choice where there couldn't be a choice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Munro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/he-said-the-difference-between-the-male-and-female-modes-of-thought/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Full moon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/he-said-the-difference-between-the-male-and-female-modes-of-thought/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/alice-munro-1231_full-moon_he-said-the-difference-between-the-male_1925974.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He said the difference between the male and female modes of thought were easily illustrated by the thoughts…” — Alice Munro", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alice Munro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He said the difference between the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/he-said-the-difference-between-the-male-and-female-modes-of-thought/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/he-said-the-difference-between-the-male-and-female-modes-of-thought/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```