Apartment Quote by Gabrielle Zevin
“Liz, I like you very much," he says. "Oh," she says, "I like you very much, too!" Owen is not sure if she means "O" for Owen, or just plan "Oh." He is not sure what difference it would make in either case. He feels the needs to clarify. "When I said 'I like you very much,' I actually meant 'I love you.'" "O," she says, "I actually meant the same thing." She closes the car door behind her. "Well," he says to himself, driving back to his apartment, "isn't that something?”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin, 2014
Misunderstanding in communication leads to deeper clarity about love and intent.
In simple terms: Confusing “O” and “Oh” shows uncertainty in expressing love.
Key Takeaway
Clarify feelings directly.
Themes
communication
love
misunderstanding
clarity
Mood
intimate
hopeful
Type
romantic
conversational
When to use this quote
- first date
- confession
- car ride
- self‑talk
Key Concepts
relationship dynamics
language nuance
emotional honesty
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “O” represent for each character?
- How does clarification change their dynamic?
A Different Perspective
Misinterpretations can cause unnecessary anxiety.
![“My father would never have come to visit, he detested Eva's [Braun] choice in a man and the fact [Adolf] Hitler had set her up in an apartment. To him it was deeply humiliating that she was living with a man at his own whim at an apartment he was paying for.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2a7/gretl-braun-9500_apartment_my-father-would-never-have-come-to-visit_40016.jpg)
![“For instance, [Adolf Hitler] would never have spent the night at the Widenmayerstraße apartment. He visited it before we moved the furniture in, he visited maybe 4 times afterwards and he never spent the entire night.” quote by Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3c6/gretl-braun-9500_apartment_for-instance-adolf-hitler-would-never-ha_54634.jpg)