---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes she went so far as to wish that…"
description: "\"“Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she might find herself some day in a difficult position, so that she should have the pleasure of being as he..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png"
---

#  Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she might find…

![“Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she might find herself some day in a difficult position, so that she should have the pleasure of being as heroic as the occasion demanded.” quote by Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png)

> ““Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she might find herself some day in a difficult position, so that she should have the pleasure of being as heroic as the occasion demanded.””

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

## 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 wishes to be placed in hardship to prove her heroism, seeking purpose through adversity.

**In simple terms:** She wants challenges to become a hero.

Key Takeaway

Embrace challenges as growth opportunities.

Themes

heroism adversity self-discovery

Mood

thoughtful determined

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- personal crises
- career obstacles
- moral dilemmas

Key Concepts

romanticism psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you to seek hardship?
- Can heroism arise without struggle?

A Different Perspective

Not all adversity leads to virtue; motives matter.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she should find herself in a difficult position, so that she might have the pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-that-she-should-find-herself-in/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [It's a difficult position. Do you endanger your child to fight for the right thing, or do you keep your mouth shut and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/it-s-a-difficult-position-do-you-endanger-your-child-to-fight-for-the/)

[Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/)

> [Early on - certainly in acting - you really have to take whatever you can get. So I understand well how difficult it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-isaac/early-on-certainly-in-acting-you-really-have-to-take-whatever-you-can/)

[Oscar Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-isaac/)

> [The play-maker is the most difficult position because you have to always know where everyone is on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/the-play-maker-is-the-most-difficult-position-because-you-have-to/)

[Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/)

> [The best doctors found a middle position where they were neither overwhelmed by their feelings nor estranged from them. That was the most difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/the-best-doctors-found-a-middle-position-where-they-were-neither/)

[Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/)

> [It's difficult in my position because you are just waiting on injuries and that's often when your opportunity comes at this point into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-palmer/it-s-difficult-in-my-position-because-you-are-just-waiting-on/)

[Jesse Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-palmer/)

> [So writing is a very, very difficult position to obtain... and retain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/so-writing-is-a-very-very-difficult-position-to-obtain-and-retain/)

[Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/)

> [I'm trying to think of who was really unpleasant or just not in the mood for talking. We had on Thurston Moore and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jancee-dunn/i-m-trying-to-think-of-who-was-really-unpleasant-or-just-not-in-the/)

[Jancee Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jancee-dunn/)

> [I can be a totally different person from one day to the next, so it is difficult for me to stay in one role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dervla-kirwan/i-can-be-a-totally-different-person-from-one-day-to-the-next-so-it-is/)

[Dervla Kirwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dervla-kirwan/)

> [“Go to sleep, Asher. You’ve had a difficult day.” “A difficult day? I didn’t do a thing all day!” “For you, my husband, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/go-to-sleep-asher-you-ve-had-a-difficult-day-a-difficult-day-i-didn-t/)

[Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/)

> [It’s much harder for me... I think it’s different when you have an office job, because it’s routine and, you know, you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/it-s-much-harder-for-me-i-think-it-s-different-when-you-have-an/)

[Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/)

> [“Everyday should be a working day on those difficult tasks. A little bit per day is the only way to make it through. Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/everyday-should-be-a-working-day-on-those-difficult-tasks-a-little/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [To go against the dominant thinking of your friends, of most of the people you see every day, is perhaps the most difficult act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-go-against-the-dominant-thinking-of-your-friends-of-most-of-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [ All the dark, intricate, puzzling providences at which we were sometimes so offended...we shall \[one day\] see to be to us, as the difficult… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flavel/all-the-dark-intricate-puzzling-providences-at-which-we-were/)

[John Flavel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flavel/)

> [I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-get-up-every-morning-determined-to-both-change-the-world-and-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Henry James

> [Though there are some disagreeable things in Venice there is nothing so disagreeable as the visitors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/though-there-are-some-disagreeable-things-in-venice-there-is-nothing/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“In literature we move through a blest world in which we know nothing except by style, but in which everything is saved by it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/in-literature-we-move-through-a-blest-world-in-which-we-know-nothing/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“I shall stay here as long as I may, I don't want to think — I needn't think. I don't care for anything but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-shall-stay-here-as-long-as-i-may-i-don-t-want-to-think-i-needn-t/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“...It often seemed to her that she thought too much about herself, you could have made her blush any day of the year, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-often-seemed-to-her-that-she-thought-too-much-about-herself-you/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“I reflected acutely that the sense of such differences, such superiorities of quality, always, on the part of the majority—which could include even stupid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-reflected-acutely-that-the-sense-of-such-differences-such/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“She had had a real fright but had fallen back to earth. The odd thing was that in her fall her fear too had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-had-a-real-fright-but-had-fallen-back-to-earth-the-odd-thing/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [I ought to tell you I'm probably your cousin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-ought-to-tell-you-i-m-probably-your-cousin/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“She had never met a woman who had less of that fault which is the principal obstacle to friendship - the air of reproducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-never-met-a-woman-who-had-less-of-that-fault-which-is-the/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [London is on the whole the most possible form of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/london-is-on-the-whole-the-most-possible-form-of-life/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [If you have work to do, don't wait to feel like it; set to work and you will feel like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-you-have-work-to-do-don-t-wait-to-feel-like-it-set-to-work-and-you/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“She answered that she liked standing up and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-answered-that-she-liked-standing-up-and/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [It is no wonder he wins every game. He has never done a thing in his life exept play games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-is-no-wonder-he-wins-every-game-he-has-never-done-a-thing-in-his/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [Make (the reader) think the evil, make him think it for himself, and you are released from weak specifications. My values are positively all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/make-the-reader-think-the-evil-make-him-think-it-for-himself-and-you/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“It was the air she wanted and the world she would now exclusively choose; the quiet chambers, nobly overwhelming, rich but slightly veiled, opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-was-the-air-she-wanted-and-the-world-she-would-now-exclusively/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [The time-honored bread-sauce of the happy ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/the-time-honored-bread-sauce-of-the-happy-ending/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

[Explore all 571 Henry James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

## More Heart quotes

> [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/)

[Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/)

[Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/)

> [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/)

Rena Kornreich Gelissen

> [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

> [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/)

[Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/)

> [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/)

[Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/)

> [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/)

[Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/)

[Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she might find herself some day in a difficult position, so that she should have the pleasure of being as heroic as the occasion demanded.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry James"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-that-she-might-find-herself-some/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Heart"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-that-she-might-find-herself-some/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/henry-james-417_heart_sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-tha_1242277.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes she went so far as to wish that she might find herself some day in a difficult position, so that…” — Henry James",
                "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": "Henry James",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Sometimes she went so far as...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-that-she-might-find-herself-some/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/sometimes-she-went-so-far-as-to-wish-that-she-might-find-herself-some/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
