--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like my grandmother he kept secrets the…" description: "\"“Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people kept fish. They were a hobby, a fascination, his underwater collection of the rare and the st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png" --- # Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people… ![“Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people kept fish. They were a hobby, a fascination, his underwater collection of the rare and the strange. Occasionally something would float up to the surface, unexpected, unexplained” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png) > ““Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people kept fish. They were a hobby, a fascination, his underwater collection of the rare and the strange. Occasionally something would float up to the surface, unexpected, unexplained”” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator likens a secret‑keeping lover to a collector of odd, hidden things, revealing how personal mysteries surface unexpectedly. **In simple terms:** Secrets are like hidden treasures that sometimes surface. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity about hidden aspects of people. Themes secrets relationships curiosity Mood reflective melancholic Type literary contemplative When to use this quote - dating - friendship - personal growth - discovering motives Key Concepts psychology metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What hidden traits do you keep? - How do secrets affect trust? A Different Perspective Not all secrets are harmless; they can cause pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) ## Related quotes > [It was just how my parents treated me. It was the world they decided to show me. I was really sheltered. My grandmother kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/it-was-just-how-my-parents-treated-me-it-was-the-world-they-decided/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [ My grandmother has kept all of his stuff in a drawer. This one notebook was particularly chilling. He's \[howard Brookner\] writing to his parents… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-brookner/my-grandmother-has-kept-all-of-his-stuff-in-a-drawer-this-one/) [Aaron Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-brookner/) > [Our house was littered with books- in the kitchen, under the beds, stuck between the couch pillows--far too many for her the ever finish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/our-house-was-littered-with-books-in-the-kitchen-under-the-beds-stuck/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [We all have secrets. We've all kept secrets. We've had secrets kept from us, and we know how that feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/we-all-have-secrets-we-ve-all-kept-secrets-we-ve-had-secrets-kept/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [Political leaders, lacking documents that could be kept secret (apart from the occasional exception), lacking media they could control, were of necessity brought into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-finley/political-leaders-lacking-documents-that-could-be-kept-secret-apart/) [Moses Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-finley/) > [The United States is not nearly so concerned that its acts be kept secret from its intended victims as it is that the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/the-united-states-is-not-nearly-so-concerned-that-its-acts-be-kept/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [There have always been huge musicians and poets in Uruguay, but Uruguay is a well-kept secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sater/there-have-always-been-huge-musicians-and-poets-in-uruguay-but/) Steven Sater > [If you would keep your secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-you-would-keep-your-secret-from-an-enemy-tell-it-not-to-a-friend/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [ “On November 22, 1963, he said, “One of the worst kept secrets \[in the world\] is the truth about the President’s murder. It wasn’t… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/on-november-22-1963-he-said-one-of-the-worst-kept-secrets-in-the/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [Most of what is done I think is to kept secret so the public won't know. The same is true of what Wikileaks exposed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/most-of-what-is-done-i-think-is-to-kept-secret-so-the-public-won-t/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You see only the productions of second-rate folk who are in a hurry to get wealth and fame. The true knowledge, the deadly knowledge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/you-see-only-the-productions-of-second-rate-folk-who-are-in-a-hurry/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [The term blowback, which officials of the Central Intelligent Agency first invented for their own internal use, . . . refers to the unintended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalmers-johnson/the-term-blowback-which-officials-of-the-central-intelligent-agency/) [Chalmers Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalmers-johnson/) > [The joy that compassion brings is one of the best-kept secrets of humanity. It is a secret known only to a very few people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-joy-that-compassion-brings-is-one-of-the-best-kept-secrets-of/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I agree that there are things that should be kept secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/i-agree-that-there-are-things-that-should-be-kept-secret/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [Every study on chocolate is pointing to the same conclusion: there is something in chocolate that is really good for us. That something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wolfe/every-study-on-chocolate-is-pointing-to-the-same-conclusion-there-is/) [David Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wolfe/) ## More by Jeanette Winterson > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. There is never enough to eat, never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/after-nine-nights-must-come-ten-and-every-desperate-meeting-only/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I have found that I am not a space where people want to live, at least not without decorating first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-found-that-i-am-not-a-space-where-people-want-to-live-at-least/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Yes. Just pass me my leg will you? It's on top of the wardrobe where he threw it, and I think my right arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/yes-just-pass-me-my-leg-will-you-it-s-on-top-of-the-wardrobe-where-he/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Every second the Universe divides into possibilities and most of those possibilities never happen. It is not a uni-verse -- there is more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/every-second-the-universe-divides-into-possibilities-and-most-of/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You are a pool of clear water where the light plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-are-a-pool-of-clear-water-where-the-light-plays/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It's the cliches that cause the trouble. A precise emotion seeks a precise expression. If what I feel is not precise than how should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-s-the-cliches-that-cause-the-trouble-a-precise-emotion-seeks-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [What would it have meant to be happy? What would it have meant if things had been bright, clear, good between us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-would-it-have-meant-to-be-happy-what-would-it-have-meant-if/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Mrs Ratlow was a widow, and she was head of English, but she still did all the cooking and cleaning for her two sons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/mrs-ratlow-was-a-widow-and-she-was-head-of-english-but-she-still-did/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I shall have nowt to talk to now the baby is boiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-shall-have-nowt-to-talk-to-now-the-baby-is-boiled/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“What art does is to coax us away from the mechanical and towards the miraculous. The so-called uselessness of art is a clue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-art-does-is-to-coax-us-away-from-the-mechanical-and-towards-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It took me a long time to realise that there are two kinds of writing: the one you write and the one that writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realise-that-there-are-two-kinds-of-writing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [A curse on this game. How can you stick at a game when the rules keep on changing? I shall call myself Alice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-curse-on-this-game-how-can-you-stick-at-a-game-when-the-rules-keep/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“He turned away and I turned to him in vivid heat to look on the sun-dried world. The groves and towers were gone. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/he-turned-away-and-i-turned-to-him-in-vivid-heat-to-look-on-the-sun/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) [Explore all 1,016 Jeanette Winterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More Fish quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [Fly-fishing for wild trout on quiet waters must be one of the toughest and craziest ways to catch fish ever invented by man, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-voelker/fly-fishing-for-wild-trout-on-quiet-waters-must-be-one-of-the/) [John D. Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-voelker/) > [My kids all do love to hunt and fish. When they get together, I think that's what they get together more for than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/my-kids-all-do-love-to-hunt-and-fish-when-they-get-together-i-think/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [“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/) > [I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-do-not-believe-in-eating-fish-hot-people-always-insist-on-hot-fish/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [Many years ago I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realised, 'I am killing him - all for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/many-years-ago-i-was-fishing-and-as-i-was-reeling-in-the-poor-fish-i/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [I don't eat meat - chicken, fish, none of that. I eat a lot of vegetable sandwiches, like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-don-t-eat-meat-chicken-fish-none-of-that-i-eat-a-lot-of-vegetable/) Gza > [“Fish are unable, of course, to speak for themselves about how we treat them. They have ways of communicating with each other and, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-morell/fish-are-unable-of-course-to-speak-for-themselves-about-how-we-treat/) [Virginia Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-morell/) > [Undoubtedly, church fish fries and picnics help build social cohesion. It was at my dad's medium-size evangelical church - my first real exposure to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/undoubtedly-church-fish-fries-and-picnics-help-build-social-cohesion/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [“Similarly, take the time to get into shape so you can get to that great spot and be able to fish it all day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-deeter/similarly-take-the-time-to-get-into-shape-so-you-can-get-to-that/) Kirk Deeter > [“It's a familiar, if not exactly inspiring, message: in the face of slim pickings, lower your standards. It also makes clear the converse: with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/it-s-a-familiar-if-not-exactly-inspiring-message-in-the-face-of-slim/) [Brian Christian, Tom Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/) > [The kind of fishing that I do is pretty much bass, trout or freshwater fishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-steyn/the-kind-of-fishing-that-i-do-is-pretty-much-bass-trout-or-freshwater/) [Dale Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-steyn/) [Browse all 2,977 Fish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people kept fish. They were a hobby, a fascination, his underwater collection of the rare and the strange. Occasionally something would float up to the surface, unexpected, unexplained”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeanette Winterson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the-way-other-people-kept-fish/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fish" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the-way-other-people-kept-fish/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/133/jeanette-winterson-166_fish_like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the_1581009.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people kept fish. They were a hobby, a fascination, his…” — Jeanette Winterson", "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": "Jeanette Winterson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Like my grandmother he kept secrets...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the-way-other-people-kept-fish/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/like-my-grandmother-he-kept-secrets-the-way-other-people-kept-fish/#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 } } ] } ```