Crowns Quote by Catherynne M. Valente
“Once more September marveled that even the Dodo knew what she wanted to be when she was grown. She simply could not think what she herself might do. September expected that destinies, which is how she thought of professions, simply landed upon one like a crown, and ever after no one questioned or fretted over it, being sure of one’s own use in the world. It was only that somehow her crown had not yet appeared. She did hope it would hurry up.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, 2011
A character longs for a predetermined purpose, but feels incomplete without a clear destiny, highlighting the tension between expectation and self‑discovery.
In simple terms: She wants a clear purpose but feels lost without it.
Key Takeaway
Seek purpose through action, not waiting.
Themes
identity
purpose
expectation
self‑discovery
Mood
hopeful
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career planning
- creative projects
- personal growth
- goal setting
Key Concepts
destiny
self‑realization
agency
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you do if you stopped waiting for a predetermined role?
- How can you create your own purpose?
A Different Perspective
Waiting for a “crown” can stall progress and cause anxiety.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
