--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Someone once wrote that a novel should…" description: "\"“Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of small astonishments. I get the same thing spending an hour with you. Also, here is a green ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/e-lockhart-1636_books_someone-once-wrote-that-a-novel-should-d_504726.png" --- # Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of… ![“Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of small astonishments. I get the same thing spending an hour with you. Also, here is a green toothbrush tied in a ribbon. It expresses my feelings inadequately.” quote by E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/e-lockhart-1636_books_someone-once-wrote-that-a-novel-should-d_504726.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/e-lockhart-1636_books_someone-once-wrote-that-a-novel-should-d_504726.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/e-lockhart-1636_books_someone-once-wrote-that-a-novel-should-d_504726.png) > ““Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of small astonishments. I get the same thing spending an hour with you. Also, here is a green toothbrush tied in a ribbon. It expresses my feelings inadequately.”” [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) ## 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 the surprise and delight of a novel to a personal encounter, using a quirky gift to convey affection that words can’t fully capture. **In simple terms:** A novel’s surprises mirror personal connection, expressed through a symbolic gift. Key Takeaway Embrace small, unexpected gestures to show feelings. Themes creativity affection communication Mood playful thoughtful Type personal literary When to use this quote - dating - friendship - personal expression - gift giving Key Concepts symbolism gift-giving literary analogy Questions to Reflect On - How do small surprises deepen connection? - What symbols best convey your feelings? A Different Perspective The metaphor may feel forced if the audience doesn’t share the same literary taste. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astonishments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishments-462275/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Novel Deliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-deliver-1391951/) [Small Astonishments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-astonishments-1391950/) [Toothbrush Tied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toothbrush-tied-4291452/) [Wrote Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-novel/) ## Related quotes > [Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of small astonishments. I get the same thing spending an hour with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/someone-once-wrote-that-a-novel-should-deliver-a-series-of-small-2/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“When no one else is around, we open ourselves to the quieter astonishments that enormity can offer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-no-one-else-is-around-we-open-ourselves-to-the-quieter/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Who can say what astonishments are hidden inside the most mundane being?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/who-can-say-what-astonishments-are-hidden-inside-the-most-mundane/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“We are both astonishments, the closest thing in the known universe to a miracle”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/we-are-both-astonishments-the-closest-thing-in-the-known-universe-to/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Newt Gingrich wrote a novel, and he's a short story. Bill Clinton wrote a biography, and he's a novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/newt-gingrich-wrote-a-novel-and-he-s-a-short-story-bill-clinton-wrote/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [I've always wanted to write an early reader. When I wrote my first novel, my goal was to make it an early reader, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lin/i-ve-always-wanted-to-write-an-early-reader-when-i-wrote-my-first/) [Grace Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lin/) > [Madly, futilely, I wrote novel after novel, eight in all, that failed to find a publisher. I persisted because for me the novel was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/madly-futilely-i-wrote-novel-after-novel-eight-in-all-that-failed-to/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [I wrote my first novel and my second novel in Chicago. It was the place where I became a writer. It's my favorite city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-wrote-my-first-novel-and-my-second-novel-in-chicago-it-was-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Back in high school, I wrote a novel about a character named Bart Simpson. I thought it was a very unusual name for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/back-in-high-school-i-wrote-a-novel-about-a-character-named-bart/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I had an American journalist say to me, "Is it true you wrote the whole of the first novel on napkins?" I was tempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-had-an-american-journalist-say-to-me-is-it-true-you-wrote-the-whole/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [You know what I did after I wrote my first novel? I shut up and wrote twenty-three more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/you-know-what-i-did-after-i-wrote-my-first-novel-i-shut-up-and-wrote/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I wrote my first novel in the same conditions as most first novelists - I had a full-time job, I shared an apartment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-wrote-my-first-novel-in-the-same-conditions-as-most-first-novelists/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [I guess I've always been an aspiring novelist. I went to Princeton and wrote a novel for my thesis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gordon/i-guess-i-ve-always-been-an-aspiring-novelist-i-went-to-princeton-and/) [Howard Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gordon/) > [I'd never written a novel before, and I wrote a novel, and that turned out OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-d-never-written-a-novel-before-and-i-wrote-a-novel-and-that-turned/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Each time I write a new piece, whether a novel, a picture book, a speech or anything, really, it has so much to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-maclachlan/each-time-i-write-a-new-piece-whether-a-novel-a-picture-book-a-speech/) [Patricia MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-maclachlan/) ## More by E. Lockhart > [“She makes the world seem shiny and sunlit. -Noel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/she-makes-the-world-seem-shiny-and-sunlit-noel/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“And then he's grabbing my hand, and pulling me into a storage room they use for art supplies. And he puts his finger to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/and-then-he-s-grabbing-my-hand-and-pulling-me-into-a-storage-room/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Noel shook his head. "You think better of this scene than I do, Ruby. Don't you see how fake those girls are? Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/noel-shook-his-head-you-think-better-of-this-scene-than-i-do-ruby-don/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“the best way to avoid having your heart broken was to pretend you don’t have one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/the-best-way-to-avoid-having-your-heart-broken-was-to-pretend-you-don/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [Secrets are more powerful when people know you've got them," said Mr. Sutton. "You show them the tiniest edge of your secret, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/secrets-are-more-powerful-when-people-know-you-ve-got-them-said-mr/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Also, I was living in the middle of my parents' marriage. No one ever says this about families, and maybe people who aren't only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/also-i-was-living-in-the-middle-of-my-parents-marriage-no-one-ever/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“At least, these guys were looking. And seeing something. A milkshake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/at-least-these-guys-were-looking-and-seeing-something-a-milkshake/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [...Mr. Wodehouse is a prose stylist of such startling talent that Frankie nearly skipped around with glee when she first read some of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/mr-wodehouse-is-a-prose-stylist-of-such-startling-talent-that-frankie/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Why is it a good idea for you and not a good idea for me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/why-is-it-a-good-idea-for-you-and-not-a-good-idea-for-me/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Now, he was free to go forth and make a name for himself in the wide, wide world. And maybe, just maybe, he'd come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/now-he-was-free-to-go-forth-and-make-a-name-for-himself-in-the-wide/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“It doesn't matter if one of us is desperately, desperately in love. So much in love, that equally desperate measures must be taken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/it-doesn-t-matter-if-one-of-us-is-desperately-desperately-in-love-so/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“The presentation of self in everyday life. This guy Goffman had the idea that in different situations, you perform yourself differently. Your character isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/the-presentation-of-self-in-everyday-life-this-guy-goffman-had-the/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“She made me act normal. Because I was. Because I could. She told me to breathe and sit up. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/she-made-me-act-normal-because-i-was-because-i-could-she-told-me-to/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“And now, she was walking down the hall with her books clutched to her chest, looking down at the floor while guys called, "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/and-now-she-was-walking-down-the-hall-with-her-books-clutched-to-her/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Please, that is so antiquated. The institutions of male supremacy only have real power over you if you buy into that notion. Go found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/please-that-is-so-antiquated-the-institutions-of-male-supremacy-only/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) [Explore all 218 E. Lockhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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