Adults Quote by Jane Yolen
“And for adults, the world of fantasy books returns to us the great words of power which, in order to be tamed, we have excised from our adult vocabularies. These words are the pornography of innocence, words which adults no longer use with other adults, and so we laugh at them and consign them to the nursery, fear masking as cynicism. These are the words that were forged in the earth, air, fire, and water of human existence, and the words are: Love. Hate. Good. Evil. Courage. Honor. Truth.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Book of Lost Things by Jane Yolen, 1995
The passage argues that adult society suppresses powerful, archetypal words like Love and Hate, treating them as childish, which masks a deeper loss of innocence and truth.
In simple terms: Adults hide fundamental words, calling them childish.
Key Takeaway
Reclaim the power of basic, truths.
Themes
language
innocence
truth
culture
power
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- parenting
- creative writing
- media analysis
Key Concepts
mythology
psychology
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- Which "childish" words still hold power for you?
- How does reclaiming them change perception?
A Different Perspective
Risk of oversimplifying complex adult emotions.
![“He [an earnest young reporter] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be art, the object of children's books is to whip the little rascals into shape.” quote by Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cf/katherine-paterson-2365_adults_he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-s_6101.jpg)
