--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...by her family circle. That was my…" description: "\"“...by her family circle. That was my phrase, one that could include me by some stretch of the imagination; 'circle' sounded too symmetrical, but it wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/emma-donoghue-1499_choice-of-words_by-her-family-circle-that-was-my-phrase_2050601.png" --- # ...by her family circle. That was my phrase, one that… ![“...by her family circle. That was my phrase, one that could include me by some stretch of the imagination; 'circle' sounded too symmetrical, but it would have to do.” quote by Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/emma-donoghue-1499_choice-of-words_by-her-family-circle-that-was-my-phrase_2050601.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/emma-donoghue-1499_choice-of-words_by-her-family-circle-that-was-my-phrase_2050601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/emma-donoghue-1499_choice-of-words_by-her-family-circle-that-was-my-phrase_2050601.png) > ““...by her family circle. That was my phrase, one that could include me by some stretch of the imagination; 'circle' sounded too symmetrical, but it would have to do.”” [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes a personal metaphor of belonging that feels forced, using “circle” to illustrate an ill‑fitting identity. **In simple terms:** She feels her identity doesn’t naturally fit expected groups. Key Takeaway Seek authentic circles that truly reflect you. Themes identity belonging self‑perception Mood introspective thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - team building - community groups - support networks Key Concepts social psychology narrative identity Questions to Reflect On - What symbols best capture your sense of self? - How can you reshape your narrative? A Different Perspective Metaphors may oversimplify complex personal histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice-of-words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-of-words-31617/) [Circle Phrase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circle-phrase-3862620/) [Circle Sounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circle-sounded-3862621/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-circle-449454/) [Lesbian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesbian/) [Phrase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrase/) [Sounded Symmetrical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounded-symmetrical-3862619/) ## Related quotes > [“In many a case, the phrase ‘I’d like to get to know you better’ is a euphemism for ‘I want us to fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/in-many-a-case-the-phrase-i-d-like-to-get-to-know-you-better-is-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [How parents interact with each child as he or she enters the family circle determines in great part that child's final destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/how-parents-interact-with-each-child-as-he-or-she-enters-the-family/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [My family has always been my circle. I know it might sound kind of weird, but if you know a little bit about me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-beal/my-family-has-always-been-my-circle-i-know-it-might-sound-kind-of/) [Bradley Beal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-beal/) > [As a rule, you see, I'm not lugged into Family Rows. On the occasions when Aunt is calling Aunt like mastodons bellowing across premieval…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-a-rule-you-see-i-m-not-lugged-into-family-rows-on-the-occasions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The family circle is the supreme conductor of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-drummond/the-family-circle-is-the-supreme-conductor-of-christianity/) [Henry Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-drummond/) > [Cruel blows of fate call for extreme kindness in the family circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/cruel-blows-of-fate-call-for-extreme-kindness-in-the-family-circle/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [Family is your circle of life, its emotional but all together its that kind of love that made you who you are today, embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-is-your-circle-of-life-its-emotional-but-all-together-its-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Few are the giants of the soul who actually feel that the human race is their family circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/few-are-the-giants-of-the-soul-who-actually-feel-that-the-human-race/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [The Universe is circles within circles, and everything is one circle, and all the circles are connected to each other. Each family is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/the-universe-is-circles-within-circles-and-everything-is-one-circle/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Our family is a circle of strength and love...Our family with ever birth and every union the circle grows, our family is a circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-morgan/our-family-is-a-circle-of-strength-and-love-our-family-with-ever/) [Harriet Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-morgan/) > [“You need to step back from your family to decide who in your family circle is holding you back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-alden/you-need-to-step-back-from-your-family-to-decide-who-in-your-family/) [Michael Alden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-alden/) > [The family circle has widened. The worldpool of information fathered by the electric media--movies, Telstar, flight--far surpassesany possible influence mom and dad can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-family-circle-has-widened-the-worldpool-of-information-fathered/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [I like having a phrase lying around to get poems started. It's like having a key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mccrae/i-like-having-a-phrase-lying-around-to-get-poems-started-it-s-like/) [Shane McCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mccrae/) > [When people say 'love to hate', they actually mean 'love to be appalled by' - if they truly hated them, they'd never repeat a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morris/when-people-say-love-to-hate-they-actually-mean-love-to-be-appalled/) [Chris Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morris/) > [There's when a phrase circles in my head in a number of ways for any number of days, weeks, or months, and then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/there-s-when-a-phrase-circles-in-my-head-in-a-number-of-ways-for-any/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) ## More by Emma Donoghue > [Before I had kids, I thought you should never lie to a kid. But now I've had them, I realize you almost lie to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/before-i-had-kids-i-thought-you-should-never-lie-to-a-kid-but-now-i/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [People don't always want to be with people. It gets tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/people-don-t-always-want-to-be-with-people-it-gets-tiring/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [What writing ROOM taught me was that I know exactly how to be the perfect mother, but I'm not willing to do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/what-writing-room-taught-me-was-that-i-know-exactly-how-to-be-the/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“Who knows what we all are before anything happens?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/who-knows-what-we-all-are-before-anything-happens/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [...real loneliness is having no one to miss. 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I guess the time gets spread very thin like butter all over the world, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/in-room-me-and-ma-had-time-for-everything-i-guess-the-time-gets/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [I am clumsy, a late and nervous driver, and despise all sports except a little gentle dancing or yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-am-clumsy-a-late-and-nervous-driver-and-despise-all-sports-except-a/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“I looked in my mirror and saw, not myself, but every place I'd never been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-looked-in-my-mirror-and-saw-not-myself-but-every-place-i-d-never/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“I tell you frankly, Mrs. Damer, the more I see of different nations, the less sure I feel about the pre-eminence of my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-tell-you-frankly-mrs-damer-the-more-i-see-of-different-nations-the/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Actually,the nightmarish thought occurred to me that with electronic delivery of books becoming a norm, soon writers may be expected to provide several versions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/actually-the-nightmarish-thought-occurred-to-me-that-with-electronic/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Writing is nearly always a matter of finding whatever your brain needs to trick it into being creative, and in my case, a tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/writing-is-nearly-always-a-matter-of-finding-whatever-your-brain/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) [Explore all 232 Emma Donoghue quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) ## More Choice-of-words quotes > [“In many a case, the phrase ‘I’d like to get to know you better’ is a euphemism for ‘I want us to fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/in-many-a-case-the-phrase-i-d-like-to-get-to-know-you-better-is-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 2 Choice-of-words quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-of-words-31617/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...by her family circle. 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