--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since being a prisoner was a definite…" description: "\"Since being a prisoner was a definite improvement over being dead, which was what she thought was going to happen when the Loundergs had attacked, Suzy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg" --- # Since being a prisoner was a definite improvement over… ![“Since being a prisoner was a definite improvement over being dead, which was what she thought was going to happen when the Loundergs had attacked, Suzy was quite cheerful.” quote by Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg) > “Since being a prisoner was a definite improvement over being dead, which was what she thought was going to happen when the Loundergs had attacked, Suzy was quite cheerful.” [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character finds that being imprisoned is better than being dead, leading to a surprisingly cheerful outlook. **In simple terms:** Imprisonment feels better than death, prompting cheerfulness. Key Takeaway Find hope even in dire circumstances. Themes survival hope resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - character development - dark fantasy - psychological coping Key Concepts psychology of hope survival instincts Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about human adaptability? - Can optimism be realistic in trauma? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attacked Suzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacked-suzy-1303618/) [Cheerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheerful/) [Definite Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definite-improvement-1303620/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Prisoner Definite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner-definite-1303619/) [Quite Cheerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-cheerful-1150866/) ## Related quotes > [The Führer is always quite cheerful, cheerful with all his heart, when he is having tea with his friends during the night, or when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-bormann/the-f-hrer-is-always-quite-cheerful-cheerful-with-all-his-heart-when/) [Martin Bormann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-bormann/) > [I am gaining in health slowly, and am quite cheerful in view of my approaching end, - being fully persuaded that I am worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brown/i-am-gaining-in-health-slowly-and-am-quite-cheerful-in-view-of-my/) [John Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brown/) > [I'm basically quite a cheerful person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/i-m-basically-quite-a-cheerful-person/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [“They don’t need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they’re trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-don-t-need-walls-and-water-to-keep-the-prisoners-in-not-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was about 17, I had a row with my mother and left home for six months, renting a flat and working as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-robinson/when-i-was-about-17-i-had-a-row-with-my-mother-and-left-home-for-six/) [Anne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-robinson/) > [ It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existance, \[but\] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk away. It's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/it-s-sad-if-people-think-that-s-homemaking-a-dull-existance-but-you/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Well, we can ride together for a while longer. The highway south is farther along this way. I'll be glad of some cheerful company."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-we-can-ride-together-for-a-while-longer-the-highway-south-is/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/to-my-mind-a-picture-should-be-something-pleasant-cheerful-and-pretty/) [Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/) > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [By experience; by a sense of human frailty; by a perception of "the soul of goodness in things evil;" by a cheerful trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/by-experience-by-a-sense-of-human-frailty-by-a-perception-of-the-soul/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-best-maxim-i-know-in-this-life-is-to-drink-your-coffee-when-you/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## More by Garth Nix > [Death and what came after death was no great mystery to Sabriel. She just wished it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/death-and-what-came-after-death-was-no-great-mystery-to-sabriel-she/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Choosers will be beggars if the begging's not their choosing," said the Dog "What does that mean?" "I have no idea," said the Dog”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/choosers-will-be-beggars-if-the-begging-s-not-their-choosing-said-the/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [Time plays tricks between here and home," said Mogget sepulchrally, frightening the life out of the telephone operator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/time-plays-tricks-between-here-and-home-said-mogget-sepulchrally/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [ “Mmmmmm, said Ardent \[the Royal Dog\]. He liked cooked food. Also raw food and semicooked food, and things that might be food and so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/mmmmmm-said-ardent-the-royal-dog-he-liked-cooked-food-also-raw-food/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [I enjoyed the army reserve, and I learned a lot from it, but I also... it helped me work out that I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-enjoyed-the-army-reserve-and-i-learned-a-lot-from-it-but-i-also-it/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“If I'm not back by nightfall, come and take a very careful look, said Anya. But I don't expect to need rescuing. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/if-i-m-not-back-by-nightfall-come-and-take-a-very-careful-look-said/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Come, said Tanitha. Come to the Great Hall, and we will lie down with the puppies, and I will tell you a story. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/come-said-tanitha-come-to-the-great-hall-and-we-will-lie-down-with/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [So I'll do that, and I'll do my best and if my best isn't good enough, at least I will have done everything I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/so-i-ll-do-that-and-i-ll-do-my-best-and-if-my-best-isn-t-good-enough/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [He was obviously a very arrogant ragamuffin, and younger than she was, to boot. And he was wearing a necromancer's bells! Apart from that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/he-was-obviously-a-very-arrogant-ragamuffin-and-younger-than-she-was/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“she still felt she was a librarian and always would be, no matter what else she had become as well. “We”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/she-still-felt-she-was-a-librarian-and-always-would-be-no-matter-what/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“I don't want to be that kind of sorcerer, said Anya swiftly. Besides, you wouldn't...you wouldn't love me then, would you? We will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-kind-of-sorcerer-said-anya-swiftly-besides/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [Fear and realisation of ignorance, strong medicines against stupid pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/fear-and-realisation-of-ignorance-strong-medicines-against-stupid/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“I didn't know why he became a tree. I don't really know anything about why druids become trees- Peace and quiet, said Elisandria matter-of-factly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/i-didn-t-know-why-he-became-a-tree-i-don-t-really-know-anything-about/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Our parts now -- which perforce we must play -- are not father and daughter, but one old Abhorsen, making way for the new.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/our-parts-now-which-perforce-we-must-play-are-not-father-and-daughter/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [We've had enough of your pretending to be God. We'll take our chances getting out of the city. Things have to be better in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/we-ve-had-enough-of-your-pretending-to-be-god-we-ll-take-our-chances/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) [Explore all 147 Garth Nix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) ## More Cheerful quotes > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-best-maxim-i-know-in-this-life-is-to-drink-your-coffee-when-you/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) > [By experience; by a sense of human frailty; by a perception of "the soul of goodness in things evil;" by a cheerful trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/by-experience-by-a-sense-of-human-frailty-by-a-perception-of-the-soul/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/to-my-mind-a-picture-should-be-something-pleasant-cheerful-and-pretty/) [Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/) > [Well, we can ride together for a while longer. The highway south is farther along this way. I'll be glad of some cheerful company."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-we-can-ride-together-for-a-while-longer-the-highway-south-is/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [ It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existance, \[but\] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk away. It's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/it-s-sad-if-people-think-that-s-homemaking-a-dull-existance-but-you/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [When I was about 17, I had a row with my mother and left home for six months, renting a flat and working as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-robinson/when-i-was-about-17-i-had-a-row-with-my-mother-and-left-home-for-six/) [Anne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-robinson/) > [Children ask better questions than adults. "May I have a cookie?" "Why is the sky blue?" and "What does a cow say?" are far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/children-ask-better-questions-than-adults-may-i-have-a-cookie-why-is/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Love is a very contradiction of all the elements of our ordinary nature -- it makes the proud man meek -- the cheerful, sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/love-is-a-very-contradiction-of-all-the-elements-of-our-ordinary/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [To bear adversity with meek submission to the will of God; to endure chastisement with all long-suffering and joyfulness; to appear cheerful amid surrounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-angell-james/to-bear-adversity-with-meek-submission-to-the-will-of-god-to-endure/) [John Angell James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-angell-james/) [Browse all 600 Cheerful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheerful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since being a prisoner was a definite improvement over being dead, which was what she thought was going to happen when the Loundergs had attacked, Suzy was quite cheerful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garth Nix" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-improvement-over-being-dead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cheerful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-improvement-over-being-dead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/garth-nix-2783_cheerful_since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-im_1717366.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since being a prisoner was a definite improvement over being dead, which was what she thought was going to…” — Garth Nix", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Garth Nix", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since being a prisoner was a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-improvement-over-being-dead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/since-being-a-prisoner-was-a-definite-improvement-over-being-dead/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```