--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It wasn’t what I expected,” Natalie said…" description: "\"“It wasn’t what I expected,” Natalie said, her expression soft. “It was so loud. The roar of the fire was like a beast screaming in my ear. So much rag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/bella-forrest-1214_fire_it-wasn-t-what-i-expected-natalie-said-h_2446026.jpg" --- # It wasn’t what I expected,” Natalie said, her expression… ![“It wasn’t what I expected,” Natalie said, her expression soft. “It was so loud. The roar of the fire was like a beast screaming in my ear. So much rage and heat, and I just watched. Nobody could do anything. I saw inside a window, and there was an old movie poster in the room, and I watched it…” quote by Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/bella-forrest-1214_fire_it-wasn-t-what-i-expected-natalie-said-h_2446026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/bella-forrest-1214_fire_it-wasn-t-what-i-expected-natalie-said-h_2446026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf4/bella-forrest-1214_fire_it-wasn-t-what-i-expected-natalie-said-h_2446026.jpg) > ““It wasn’t what I expected,” Natalie said, her expression soft. “It was so loud. The roar of the fire was like a beast screaming in my ear. So much rage and heat, and I just watched. Nobody could do anything. I saw inside a window, and there was an old movie poster in the room, and I watched it curl and burn and vanish. I wondered how many memories I was watching just…” She made a gesture. “Poof. Disappear.”” [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes a vivid, overwhelming fire scene that erases memories like a burning film, symbolizing loss and impermanence. **In simple terms:** Fire erases memories like a burning film. Key Takeaway Acknowledge the fleeting nature of memories. Themes memory loss impermanence Mood somber contemplative Type literary emotional When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - therapy Key Concepts transience visual metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What memories feel like they’re burning away? - How can you preserve valuable moments? A Different Perspective Fire can also symbolize renewal, not just destruction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast Screaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast-screaming-528943/) [Burn Vanish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-vanish-528944/) [Expected Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expected-natalie-528945/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Natalie Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natalie-said-528942/) [Old movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-movie/) [Screaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screaming/) ## Related quotes > [“I did not throw up on everyone,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “Only a select few.” Alex laughed, but his heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-did-not-throw-up-on-everyone-she-said-with-a-twinkle-in-her-eye/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“A fine bunch of humanity,” Natalie nodded. “I’d give anything to treat an ear infection right now.” “An infected cut,” Jules sighed wistfully. “Food…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-kennelly/a-fine-bunch-of-humanity-natalie-nodded-i-d-give-anything-to-treat-an/) [Kate Kennelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-kennelly/) > [“Most people don't have facades," Natalie said drily. "Oh everyone thinks they do, but when you dig below the facade, there is only more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/most-people-don-t-have-facades-natalie-said-drily-oh-everyone-thinks/) [lisa kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“You know what we need? We need to get jobs, get the fuck out of that crazy house,' Natalie said, dipping a McNugget into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/you-know-what-we-need-we-need-to-get-jobs-get-the-fuck-out-of-that/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“Emotion choked her. “Since meeting you you’ve made me feel a lot of things. But not guilt. Not even when I kicked you.” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/emotion-choked-her-since-meeting-you-you-ve-made-me-feel-a-lot-of/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [“I never pegged you for having a dark side,” Natalie said. “I like it. Goes with your eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-m-hough/i-never-pegged-you-for-having-a-dark-side-natalie-said-i-like-it-goes/) [Jason M. Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-m-hough/) > [“She and I went to school with Shay Mitchell and Hayden Panettiere, Megan Fox was prom queen, Chris Hemsworth was prom king." I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/she-and-i-went-to-school-with-shay-mitchell-and-hayden-panettiere/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [I love watching old movies, reading and having some good meals. I have a very close group of friends and family. I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bartha/i-love-watching-old-movies-reading-and-having-some-good-meals-i-have/) [Justin Bartha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bartha/) > [I hope to give you at least 15 more years of movies. I'm not going to be this old guy that keeps cranking them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-hope-to-give-you-at-least-15-more-years-of-movies-i-m-not-going-to/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [There are no “old” movies-only movies you have already seen and ones you haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bogdanovich/there-are-no-old-movies-only-movies-you-have-already-seen-and-ones/) [Peter Bogdanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bogdanovich/) > [It makes you feel good when a movie works. Usually when I see an old movie I've made, I say to myself, 'Oh God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/it-makes-you-feel-good-when-a-movie-works-usually-when-i-see-an-old/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [“…my new name, Buffalo Zeta Brown. General Zeta was the hero of an old movie classic…A combination of Zapata and Villa and Maria Felix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-zeta-acosta/my-new-name-buffalo-zeta-brown-general-zeta-was-the-hero-of-an-old/) [Oscar Zeta Acosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-zeta-acosta/) > [Sometimes I feel like a complete kid when I'm running around with my friends being stupid for a week, and then sometimes I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-jenner/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-complete-kid-when-i-m-running-around-with-my/) [Kendall Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-jenner/) > [I love the old movies from my past, when I was growing up. I just have a special place in my heart for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-love-the-old-movies-from-my-past-when-i-was-growing-up-i-just-have/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [I just think old old movies, they make you concentrate and pay attention so much more. They feel so warm. A lot of modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/i-just-think-old-old-movies-they-make-you-concentrate-and-pay/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) ## More by Bella Forrest > [“It was obvious to me that all of this was Navan practicing. Practicing using his free will to go against his grain, defy his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/it-was-obvious-to-me-that-all-of-this-was-navan-practicing-practicing/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“I looked down into my baby’s beautiful green eyes and ached inside. She looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence. I kissed her warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-looked-down-into-my-baby-s-beautiful-green-eyes-and-ached-inside/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“. Self-reliance means you're in control. Don't ever think you need a man for happiness. Besides,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/self-reliance-means-you-re-in-control-don-t-ever-think-you-need-a-man/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“somehow, that night, I realized that I didn’t need to worry about tomorrow. I was fine where I was. I just needed to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/somehow-that-night-i-realized-that-i-didn-t-need-to-worry-about/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Our bond started to grow stronger. Soon I felt the link between us deepen into something solid, almost impenetrable. His mind seemed to shift,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/our-bond-started-to-grow-stronger-soon-i-felt-the-link-between-us/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“I should have known it would be you. Creepy noise, creepy place, creepy shadows— guaranteed to be you,” Alex groaned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-should-have-known-it-would-be-you-creepy-noise-creepy-place-creepy/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Free will. That term seemed to mean something to him, I realized, as I recalled his answer to a question I’d asked the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/free-will-that-term-seemed-to-mean-something-to-him-i-realized-as-i/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Pushing away a looming sense of worry, Alex looked back at his friends in the clearing, who were resting easy because he had promised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/pushing-away-a-looming-sense-of-worry-alex-looked-back-at-his-friends/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Even though I was supposed to be forgetting him, the whole time I was sitting there opposite Anna, that brown-eyed vampire was the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/even-though-i-was-supposed-to-be-forgetting-him-the-whole-time-i-was/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Let the sandcastle collapse. In its place, I will build a fortress—one that the waves of nature and time could never destroy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/let-the-sandcastle-collapse-in-its-place-i-will-build-a-fortress-one/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“In a war between races, nobody wins,” Vincent sighed, “and Agatha lost dearly . As we all did, on all sides. You were guilty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/in-a-war-between-races-nobody-wins-vincent-sighed-and-agatha-lost/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“People are scared, you see. But life goes on, now, doesn’t it? No matter what else is happening around you, you’ve just got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/people-are-scared-you-see-but-life-goes-on-now-doesn-t-it-no-matter/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“I was a happy child. I felt loved. I never would've imagined that things would turn out the way that they did".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-was-a-happy-child-i-felt-loved-i-never-would-ve-imagined-that/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“No system was worth defending if it didn’t bend for its people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/no-system-was-worth-defending-if-it-didn-t-bend-for-its-people/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“Once something was done, it could never be undone, but it could always be improved upon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/once-something-was-done-it-could-never-be-undone-but-it-could-always/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) [Explore all 269 Bella Forrest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) ## More Fire quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It wasn’t what I expected,” Natalie said, her expression soft. “It was so loud. The roar of the fire was like a beast screaming in my ear. So much rage and heat, and I just watched. Nobody could do anything. I saw inside a window, and there was an old movie poster in the room, and I watched it curl and burn and vanish. 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