--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She was torn between the impulse to run…" description: "\"“She was torn between the impulse to run and the urge to curl up like a pill bug, close her eyes, tuck her head beneath her arms, and play the game of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png" --- # She was torn between the impulse to run and the urge to… ![“She was torn between the impulse to run and the urge to curl up like a pill bug, close her eyes, tuck her head beneath her arms, and play the game of since-I-can't-see-monsters-monsters-can't-see-me.” quote by Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png) > ““She was torn between the impulse to run and the urge to curl up like a pill bug, close her eyes, tuck her head beneath her arms, and play the game of since-I-can't-see-monsters-monsters-can't-see-me.”” [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## 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 feels torn between fleeing danger and hiding, illustrating the instinct to confront or avoid fear. **In simple terms:** Fear can make us want to run or hide. Key Takeaway Recognize when fear drives avoidance. Themes fear instinct conflict survival psychology Mood anxious hopeful Type literary emotional When to use this quote - dangerous situations - personal anxiety - stressful moments Key Concepts fight or flight emotional regulation courage Questions to Reflect On - When do you choose to face fear? - What helps you move from hiding to acting? A Different Perspective Fear can paralyze decision‑making, limiting action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) ## Related quotes > [Torn between the impulse to stroke his head, and the urge to cave it in with a rock, I did neither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/torn-between-the-impulse-to-stroke-his-head-and-the-urge-to-cave-it/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“i feel like the squirrels that so often run in front of our car & then stand paralyzed in the forward crunch of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koren-zailckas/i-feel-like-the-squirrels-that-so-often-run-in-front-of-our-car-then/) [Koren Zailckas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koren-zailckas/) > [It demeans you to cover rotten meat with honey. I know what I am. What would you want with a monster?" "Everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/it-demeans-you-to-cover-rotten-meat-with-honey-i-know-what-i-am-what/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Better to leave him with the memory of their being a pair of monsters, wrapped in each other's arms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/better-to-leave-him-with-the-memory-of-their-being-a-pair-of-monsters/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [I can't be with you today, but if you close your eyes and think; I'll be beside you in the kitchen wearing your shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/i-can-t-be-with-you-today-but-if-you-close-your-eyes-and-think-i-ll/) Sharlene05 > [“Close my eyes just for tonight the sun still sleeps”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/underoath/close-my-eyes-just-for-tonight-the-sun-still-sleeps/) Underoath > [Every time I close my eyes I see you. All I want more than anything is to be with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-bognar/every-time-i-close-my-eyes-i-see-you-all-i-want-more-than-anything-is/) [Jenna Bognar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-bognar/) > [Just close your eyes, the sun is going down, you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now, come morning light, you and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/just-close-your-eyes-the-sun-is-going-down-you-ll-be-alright-no-one/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I always close my eyes after every fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-malley/i-always-close-my-eyes-after-every-fight/) [Sean O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-malley/) > [Sit down, hold your back up, close your eyes and think about nothing' - that's not on the table for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/sit-down-hold-your-back-up-close-your-eyes-and-think-about-nothing/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [Sometimes I close my eyes; sometimes I let my hunger rise. I think of all you are - you are the love of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/sometimes-i-close-my-eyes-sometimes-i-let-my-hunger-rise-i-think-of/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [“I close my eyes, and words from an old book flow from my lips. “From flame to ashes, dawn to dusk, for the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-thalassa/i-close-my-eyes-and-words-from-an-old-book-flow-from-my-lips-from/) [Laura Thalassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-thalassa/) > [“I think everyone does. Even happy people. They may not admit it to anyone, but I think they feel it. I think they close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/i-think-everyone-does-even-happy-people-they-may-not-admit-it-to/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [Evertime I close my eyes it doesnt matter where, I always see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/evertime-i-close-my-eyes-it-doesnt-matter-where-i-always-see-you/) Patience > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## More by Holly Black > [“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/what-they-don-t-realize-is-this-yes-they-frighten-me-but-i-have/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [When you don't know what you're searching for, you have to look absolutely everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-you-have-to-look/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Madoc makes a snorting sound, then turns to me. 'I am sure that Wren here wouldn't mind taking Lady Nore's castle and lands for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/madoc-makes-a-snorting-sound-then-turns-to-me-i-am-sure-that-wren/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [That’s family for you. Can’t live with them, can’t murder them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-s-family-for-you-can-t-live-with-them-can-t-murder-them/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“No, I won't help you. No I won't hear you explain why I should. It really is a magical word: no. You say whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/no-i-won-t-help-you-no-i-won-t-hear-you-explain-why-i-should-it/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Let her alone,' said the enkanto, 'or I will curse you blind, lame, and worse.' The old man laughed. 'I'm a curse breaker, fool.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/let-her-alone-said-the-enkanto-or-i-will-curse-you-blind-lame-and/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“lt's an honor and a delight to meet you and a tragedy you're here”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/lt-s-an-honor-and-a-delight-to-meet-you-and-a-tragedy-you-re-here/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“No fire at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/no-fire-at-all/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“His wax-white skin was cool to the touch when she brushed his neck to find the knot of cloth. She'd never been this close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/his-wax-white-skin-was-cool-to-the-touch-when-she-brushed-his-neck-to/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [So what are you really wearing?" The words left her mouth before she could consider them. She winced. He didn't seem to mind; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/so-what-are-you-really-wearing-the-words-left-her-mouth-before-she/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I grab a chair. "I don't mean to pry," I say, "but we're in a hospital. You sure you're fine?" She sighs heavily. "No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-grab-a-chair-i-don-t-mean-to-pry-i-say-but-we-re-in-a-hospital-you/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Kaye: You know what the sun looks like? Janet: No, What? Kaye: Like he slit his wrists in a bathtub and the blood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/kaye-you-know-what-the-sun-looks-like-janet-no-what-kaye-like-he-slit/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“That was how she felt, right then. As if there was too much of her, as if her skin was tight with muchness. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-was-how-she-felt-right-then-as-if-there-was-too-much-of-her-as/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“It was a vow, a piece of a chant, their scripture, something they took so seriously that saying it aloud embarrassed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/it-was-a-vow-a-piece-of-a-chant-their-scripture-something-they-took/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Some broken things stay broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/some-broken-things-stay-broken/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) [Explore all 666 Holly Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## More Monsters quotes > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“Monsters are divine portents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/monsters-are-divine-portents/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [My idea for 'BoneMan's Daughters' came from the loss of my own daughter when she left home to live with a monster at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/my-idea-for-boneman-s-daughters-came-from-the-loss-of-my-own-daughter/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [“Monsters are made”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/monsters-are-made/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Beware, gentle knight - the greatest monster of them all is reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/beware-gentle-knight-the-greatest-monster-of-them-all-is-reason/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [Why what a fool was I to this drunken monster for a God. - Caliban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-what-a-fool-was-i-to-this-drunken-monster-for-a-god-caliban/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I have a private theory, Sir, that there are no heroes and no monsters in this world. Only children should be allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/i-have-a-private-theory-sir-that-there-are-no-heroes-and-no-monsters/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/until-we-have-met-the-monsters-in-ourselves-we-keep-trying-to-slay/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“..the world seems full of good men--even if there are monsters in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/the-world-seems-full-of-good-men-even-if-there-are-monsters-in-it/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [He felt as though he were wandering in the forests of the sea bottom, lost in a monstrous world where he himself was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/he-felt-as-though-he-were-wandering-in-the-forests-of-the-sea-bottom/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I'm an old school guy and love the guys in the monster suits and JAWS; even though everyone makes fun of the shark I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/i-m-an-old-school-guy-and-love-the-guys-in-the-monster-suits-and-jaws/) [Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/) [Browse all 1,998 Monsters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She was torn between the impulse to run and the urge to curl up like a pill bug, close her eyes, tuck her head beneath her arms, and play the game of since-I-can't-see-monsters-monsters-can't-see-me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Holly Black" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run-and-the-urge-to-curl-up-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Monsters" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run-and-the-urge-to-curl-up-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/holly-black-329_monsters_she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run_2373133.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She was torn between the impulse to run and the urge to curl up like a pill bug, close her eyes, tuck her…” — Holly Black", "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": "Holly Black", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She was torn between the impulse...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run-and-the-urge-to-curl-up-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/she-was-torn-between-the-impulse-to-run-and-the-urge-to-curl-up-like/#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 } } ] } ```