--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If this were a fairy tale, this would be…" description: "\"“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he is a tragic hero, he's ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/hannah-moskowitz-8975_fairy-tale_if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be_1205219.jpg" --- # If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where… ![“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he is a tragic hero, he's our fucking Gatsby, and he lived for his fish and he has to die for his fish.” quote by Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/hannah-moskowitz-8975_fairy-tale_if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be_1205219.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/hannah-moskowitz-8975_fairy-tale_if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be_1205219.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/hannah-moskowitz-8975_fairy-tale_if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be_1205219.jpg) > ““If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he is a tragic hero, he's our fucking Gatsby, and he lived for his fish and he has to die for his fish.”” [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tragic hero’s devotion leads to self‑destruction, mirroring mythic sacrifice. **In simple terms:** Obsession leads to downfall. Key Takeaway Beware of letting obsession dictate destiny. Themes obsession heroism tragedy Mood melancholic intense Type literary dramatic When to use this quote - romantic relationships - creative writing - personal ambition - danger of idealization Key Concepts mythology character study Questions to Reflect On - What does the fish symbolize? - When does devotion become self‑destruction? A Different Perspective Idealization can blind judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fairy tale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tale/) [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Tragic hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragic-hero/) ## Related quotes > [“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. 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Yet none of the myths in which they appear has anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gray/tragedy-is-born-of-myth-not-morality-prometheus-and-icarus-are-tragic/) [John Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gray/) > [“Perhaps Aristotle’s most widely-read work is his esoteric treatise on aesthetics, the Poetics. According to his analysis of tragic poetry (a section on comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-new-york-times/perhaps-aristotle-s-most-widely-read-work-is-his-esoteric-treatise-on/) [The New York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-new-york-times/) > [“To joke in the face of danger is the supreme politeness, a delicate refusal to cast oneself as a tragic hero; panache is therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-rostand/to-joke-in-the-face-of-danger-is-the-supreme-politeness-a-delicate-2/) [Edmond Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-rostand/) > [“You care for empresses and queens?” I asked him. “No. For tragic heroines.” “Why them?” “Suffering and courageous women who deserve their own immortality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/you-care-for-empresses-and-queens-i-asked-him-no-for-tragic-heroines/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [My words fly up, my thoughts remain below](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudius/my-words-fly-up-my-thoughts-remain-below/) [Claudius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudius/) > [“the essence of tragedy is time, or rather the lack of it. There is no problem in any Greek tragedy that could not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/the-essence-of-tragedy-is-time-or-rather-the-lack-of-it-there-is-no/) [Mortimer J. Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-j-adler/) > [The truly tragic kind of suffering is the kind produced and defiantly insisted upon by the hero himself so that, instead of making him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-truly-tragic-kind-of-suffering-is-the-kind-produced-and-defiantly/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“The tragic hero usurps the function of the gods and attempts to remake the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gardner/the-tragic-hero-usurps-the-function-of-the-gods-and-attempts-to/) Helen Gardner > [“SHAKESPEARE What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/shakespeare-what-is-a-man-if-his-chief-good-and-market-of-his-time-be/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [In sports, I refused to do any interviews that were just going to become human-interest stories. Don't turn me into a tragic heroine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/in-sports-i-refused-to-do-any-interviews-that-were-just-going-to/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [To joke in the face of danger is the supreme politeness, a delicate refusal to cast oneself as a tragic hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-rostand/to-joke-in-the-face-of-danger-is-the-supreme-politeness-a-delicate/) [Edmond Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-rostand/) > [The tragic hero prefers death to prudence. The comedian prefers playing tricks to winning. Only the villain really plays to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-tragic-hero-prefers-death-to-prudence-the-comedian-prefers/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) ## More by Hannah Moskowitz > [“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be-the-part-where-the-fishboy/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“It's not just like that. I can't just swim away." "Why not?" "I'm afraid I'll drown." He looks up and gives the world's smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/it-s-not-just-like-that-i-can-t-just-swim-away-why-not-i-m-afraid-i/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“There's so much about girls I don't understand. I don't know how I'm old enough to kiss them but not old enough to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/there-s-so-much-about-girls-i-don-t-understand-i-don-t-know-how-i-m/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Swim. I shove myself off the dock with my feet and fucking flail as hard as I can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/swim-i-shove-myself-off-the-dock-with-my-feet-and-fucking-flail-as/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“A few innocent people!" my father says. "A few people were shot for absolutely no reason except for where they happened to be." But...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/a-few-innocent-people-my-father-says-a-few-people-were-shot-for/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“When you're grieving, the times you're happy are so much more tragic than the times that you aren't. Because being happy feels fake and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/when-you-re-grieving-the-times-you-re-happy-are-so-much-more-tragic/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Craig,” he says, in that tone that’s like, I’m one step away from middle-naming you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/craig-he-says-in-that-tone-that-s-like-i-m-one-step-away-from-middle/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“It's been about six months since I've had something in a cast. Kids at school laugh and call me a klutz. This girl Charlotte…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/it-s-been-about-six-months-since-i-ve-had-something-in-a-cast-kids-at/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Make sure you're not expecting cute. This isn't Looking For Alaska.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/make-sure-you-re-not-expecting-cute-this-isn-t-looking-for-alaska/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“I could totally be a . . . whatever.” “Sailor?” “On a boat?” “Yep.” “Yeah.” He’ll sigh all wistfully. “I could be a sailor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/i-could-totally-be-a-whatever-sailor-on-a-boat-yep-yeah-he-ll-sigh/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Even though Graham and I went back to arguing and stealing socks and hiding each other's toothbrushes in the litter box, I didn't forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/even-though-graham-and-i-went-back-to-arguing-and-stealing-socks-and/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“It is so much more beautiful than any polar bears in Alaska. Becaues I am here and he is mine and forever is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/it-is-so-much-more-beautiful-than-any-polar-bears-in-alaska-becaues-i/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“If silence could break bones, I would shatter right now, into pieces of stomachache and blueprints and desperation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/if-silence-could-break-bones-i-would-shatter-right-now-into-pieces-of/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Pathetic, huh?” He learned that word from me. “Yeah. It’s like the opposite of a fish, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/pathetic-huh-he-learned-that-word-from-me-yeah-it-s-like-the-opposite/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Don't ever let anyone tell you that college is for smart people. College eats smart people alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/don-t-ever-let-anyone-tell-you-that-college-is-for-smart-people/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) [Explore all 76 Hannah Moskowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) ## More Fairy tale quotes > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. Because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-moskowitz/if-this-were-a-fairy-tale-this-would-be-the-part-where-the-fishboy/) [Hannah Moskowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-moskowitz/) > [“Yes sir, the fish was left in place of the crystal ball. It's been bagged and tagged for analysis.” Great. Now we have another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-f-stewart/yes-sir-the-fish-was-left-in-place-of-the-crystal-ball-it-s-been/) [A.F. Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-f-stewart/) > [Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. In this timeless land of enchantment, the age of chivalry, magic and make-believe are reborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/here-is-the-world-of-imagination-hopes-and-dreams-in-this-timeless/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Look at Jane Austen. Her characters derive in a reasonably straight line from fairy tales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davies/look-at-jane-austen-her-characters-derive-in-a-reasonably-straight/) [Andrew Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davies/) > [Letters crossing in the post, unfamiliar tunes heard three times in one day, the way that blows of fate descend upon the same bowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/letters-crossing-in-the-post-unfamiliar-tunes-heard-three-times-in/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“He always had bread crumbs in his voice, and I followed them like a fairy tale.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-c-stevens/he-always-had-bread-crumbs-in-his-voice-and-i-followed-them-like-a/) [Courtney C. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-c-stevens/) > [“What the Boy chiefly dabbled in was natural history and fairy tales, and he just took them as they came, in a sandwichy sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/what-the-boy-chiefly-dabbled-in-was-natural-history-and-fairy-tales/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Go out into the world, traveler. See what the long nights and hard days feel like, after a week of them.” “Perhaps I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-arden/go-out-into-the-world-traveler-see-what-the-long-nights-and-hard-days/) [Katherine Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-arden/) > [I grew up watching monster movies and horror movies, which I felt were like fairy tales and I think this always spoke to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/i-grew-up-watching-monster-movies-and-horror-movies-which-i-felt-were/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [“The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending; or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous "turn" (for there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/the-consolation-of-fairy-stories-the-joy-of-the-happy-ending-or-more/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Here about the beach I wandered, nourishing a youth sublime With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/here-about-the-beach-i-wandered-nourishing-a-youth-sublime-with-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) [Browse all 1,689 Fairy tale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy-tale/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If this were a fairy tale, this would be the part where the fishboy appears and Diana shoots him through the heart. 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