---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was Lisa, aged five, whose mother…"
description: "\"It was Lisa, aged five, whose mother asked her to thank my wife for the peas we had sent them from our garden. 'I thought the peas were awful, I wish y..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/james-thurber-1534_awful_it-was-lisa-aged-five-whose-mother-asked_482670.png"
---

#  It was Lisa, aged five, whose mother asked her to thank my…

![“It was Lisa, aged five, whose mother asked her to thank my wife for the peas we had sent them from our garden. 'I thought the peas were awful, I wish you and Mrs. Thurber were dead, and I hate trees,' said Lisa.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/james-thurber-1534_awful_it-was-lisa-aged-five-whose-mother-asked_482670.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/james-thurber-1534_awful_it-was-lisa-aged-five-whose-mother-asked_482670.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/james-thurber-1534_awful_it-was-lisa-aged-five-whose-mother-asked_482670.png)

> “It was Lisa, aged five, whose mother asked her to thank my wife for the peas we had sent them from our garden. 'I thought the peas were awful, I wish you and Mrs. Thurber were dead, and I hate trees,' said Lisa.”

[James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A child’s blunt honesty reveals adult hypocrisy and hidden resentment.

**In simple terms:** Kids speak truth, adults hide feelings.

Key Takeaway

Listen to children’s candid observations.

Themes

honesty family resentment

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

- parent‑child communication
- teaching empathy
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

childhood innocence social critique

Questions to Reflect On

- What does Lisa’s outburst tell us about family dynamics?
- How can parents respond constructively?

A Different Perspective

Children may not understand impact of harsh words.

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[Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thurber/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/)

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