--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Feminine' was a test like some witch…" description: "\"“Feminine' was a test like some witch trial she was preordained to fail.”\" — Barbara Kingsolver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png" --- # Feminine' was a test like some witch trial she was… ![“Feminine' was a test like some witch trial she was preordained to fail.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png) > ““Feminine' was a test like some witch trial she was preordained to fail.”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker likens a feminine test to a witch trial predestined to fail, critiquing gendered expectations and systemic bias. **In simple terms:** Feminine expectations are unfairly set up to fail. Key Takeaway Challenge oppressive gender norms. Themes gender bias social critique inequality feminism Mood critical empathetic Type social philosophical When to use this quote - activism - education - policy reform Key Concepts patriarchal structures identity politics psychological pressure Questions to Reflect On - How can societies redesign “tests” for fairness? - What personal experiences reflect this bias? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify complex gender dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine/) [Feminine Test](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine-test-3391942/) [Like Witch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-witch-692487/) [Trial Preordained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial-preordained-3391943/) [Witch Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witch-trial/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to act like the witch trials all over New England were warranted, but when you live in a culture that believes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-eggers/i-don-t-want-to-act-like-the-witch-trials-all-over-new-england-were/) [Robert Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-eggers/) > [“Nell was like a witch. Her long silvery hair rolled into a bun on the back of her head, the narrow wooden house on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/nell-was-like-a-witch-her-long-silvery-hair-rolled-into-a-bun-on-the/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [“I was a witch and like a witch, deserved to have a house fall on top of me while wearing my favorite shoes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-schorr/i-was-a-witch-and-like-a-witch-deserved-to-have-a-house-fall-on-top/) [Meredith Schorr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-schorr/) > [I'm like a witch! You can't kill me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rippon/i-m-like-a-witch-you-can-t-kill-me/) [Adam Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rippon/) > [“About, about, in reel and rout The death-fires danced at night; The water, like a witch's oils, Burnt green, and blue, and white”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/about-about-in-reel-and-rout-the-death-fires-danced-at-night-the/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Sometimes I wake up and think, 'I want to look like Sherlock Holmes today,' and other times I want to look like a witch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-campbell/sometimes-i-wake-up-and-think-i-want-to-look-like-sherlock-holmes/) [Edie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-campbell/) > [I feel like there's a witch hunt by some film sites and people that immediately disregard something if it shows any sort of influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-winkler/i-feel-like-there-s-a-witch-hunt-by-some-film-sites-and-people-that/) [Max Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-winkler/) > [A different word usually came to my mind when I thought of Yeva, though it did sound a lot like “witch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/a-different-word-usually-came-to-my-mind-when-i-thought-of-yeva/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I like this side of you, witch. What else can you do?” She smiled and visualized him naked. His clothes disappeared before he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milly-taiden/i-like-this-side-of-you-witch-what-else-can-you-do-she-smiled-and/) [Milly Taiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milly-taiden/) > [Poetry operates by hints and dark suggestions. It is full of secrets and hidden formulae, like a witch's brew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/poetry-operates-by-hints-and-dark-suggestions-it-is-full-of-secrets/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [When she listened to songs that she loved on the radio, something stirred inside her. A liquid ache spread under her skin, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/when-she-listened-to-songs-that-she-loved-on-the-radio-something/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Sometime the witch hunting takes on atrocious dimensions — the Nazi persecution of Jews, the Salem witch trials, the Ku Klux Klan scapegoating of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/sometime-the-witch-hunting-takes-on-atrocious-dimensions-the-nazi/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [“When you took me from the witch trial at Cranesmuir--you said then that you would have died with me, you would have gone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-you-took-me-from-the-witch-trial-at-cranesmuir-you-said-then/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“Everyone needs to calm down! Okay, you got a weird cookie. So what? I don’t mean to swat your ego here, buddy, but this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-wood/everyone-needs-to-calm-down-okay-you-got-a-weird-cookie-so-what-i-don/) [Geoffrey Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-wood/) > [“Wounds that haven’t healed properly still hurt you. You pretend to allow them faze you, but I see past the mask. Shame, that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-ashby/wounds-that-haven-t-healed-properly-still-hurt-you-you-pretend-to/) [Millicent Ashby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-ashby/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Feminine quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The time has come for us to understand that the Eternal Feminine is the greatest power in this Universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/the-time-has-come-for-us-to-understand-that-the-eternal-feminine-is/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-love-fall-because-i-love-the-whole-cuddling-aspect-of-it-and-a/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [What makes a gay icon is someone who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/what-makes-a-gay-icon-is-someone-who-possesses-both-masculine-and/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [Men often joke about this assignment (I Peter 3:7): 'Who can understand a woman?' God has answered the question loud and clear. You can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stu-weber/men-often-joke-about-this-assignment-i-peter-3-7-who-can-understand-a/) [Stu Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stu-weber/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) [Barbara Kolb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kolb/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) [Browse all 1,148 Feminine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Feminine' was a test like some witch trial she was preordained to fail.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Kingsolver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-trial-she-was-preordained-to-fail/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feminine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-trial-she-was-preordained-to-fail/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/barbara-kingsolver-200_feminine_feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-tria_2792717.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Feminine' was a test like some witch trial she was preordained to fail.” — Barbara Kingsolver", "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": "Barbara Kingsolver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Feminine' was a test like some...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-trial-she-was-preordained-to-fail/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/feminine-was-a-test-like-some-witch-trial-she-was-preordained-to-fail/#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 } } ] } ```