--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In desperate moods he asked his mirror…" description: "\"“In desperate moods he asked his mirror why the girl he was crazy about was the only girl not crazy about him.”\" — Jeffrey Eugenides" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png" --- # In desperate moods he asked his mirror why the girl he was… ![“In desperate moods he asked his mirror why the girl he was crazy about was the only girl not crazy about him.” quote by Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png) > ““In desperate moods he asked his mirror why the girl he was crazy about was the only girl not crazy about him.”” [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) ## 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, in despair, questions why his love is unreciprocated, highlighting feelings of inadequacy. **In simple terms:** He wonders why his love doesn’t love him back. Key Takeaway Acknowledge feelings but seek self‑worth beyond others. Themes loneliness unrequited love self‑esteem Mood sad contemplative Type literary emotional When to use this quote - breakups - self‑help - friendship counseling Key Concepts psychology relationship dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Why do you seek validation from others? - What steps can you take to build internal confidence? A Different Perspective The focus on external validation can hinder personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) ## Related quotes > [“He didn't understand how she had bewitched him, nor why having done so she promptly forgot his existence, and in desperate moods he asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/he-didn-t-understand-how-she-had-bewitched-him-nor-why-having-done-so/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Then the cow asked: "What is a mirror?" "It is a hole in the wall," said the cat. "You look in it, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/then-the-cow-asked-what-is-a-mirror-it-is-a-hole-in-the-wall-said-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Sometimes, in one of his more exuberant or desperate moods, Pa would go out in the veld and sprinkle brandy on the daisies to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-p-brink/sometimes-in-one-of-his-more-exuberant-or-desperate-moods-pa-would-go/) André P. Brink > [When I look in the mirror I see the girl I was when I was growing up, with braces, crooked teeth, a baby face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-locklear/when-i-look-in-the-mirror-i-see-the-girl-i-was-when-i-was-growing-up/) [Heather Locklear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-locklear/) > [A guy and his girl were standing in front of a mirror: The girl asked, 'What do you see?' The guy smiled and said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-guy-and-his-girl-were-standing-in-front-of-a-mirror-the-girl-asked/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I grab the pillows off the bed and chuck them at the reflection in the mirror of the girl I no longer know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-grab-the-pillows-off-the-bed-and-chuck-them-at-the-reflection-in/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Besides, I'm not a mirror girl. I have Frankie and Sadie to tell me if I have lettuce in my teeth. I don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/besides-i-m-not-a-mirror-girl-i-have-frankie-and-sadie-to-tell-me-if/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [I look at my reflection in the mirror and I see a girl who desperately wants to forgive a boy, but not without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-look-at-my-reflection-in-the-mirror-and-i-see-a-girl-who/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Life is not about a hot Girl by your side, but about a crazy Friend with whom you can discuss all the silly things..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/life-is-not-about-a-hot-girl-by-your-side-but-about-a-crazy-friend/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [Every girl is a crazy cat lady if they say they are not then it is your duty to insure them that they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-girl-is-a-crazy-cat-lady-if-they-say-they-are-not-then-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I smile at her. "You're an angel." "Nah," she says. "I'm just a girl crazy in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/i-smile-at-her-you-re-an-angel-nah-she-says-i-m-just-a-girl-crazy-in/) [Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/) > [She's a good girl, crazy about Elvis, loves horses, and her boyfriend, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/she-s-a-good-girl-crazy-about-elvis-loves-horses-and-her-boyfriend-too/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Baby I miss you so much ! Sincerly, a girl who is crazy in love with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/baby-i-miss-you-so-much-sincerly-a-girl-who-is-crazy-in-love-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Girl I must have been crazy. To say that it was over. I had to be a fool. To yell out we were through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly-2/girl-i-must-have-been-crazy-to-say-that-it-was-over-i-had-to-be-a/) [R Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly-2/) > [I wouldn't say I'm girl-crazy, because that makes me sound like a bit of a womanizer. That isn't really me. But I am quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-girl-crazy-because-that-makes-me-sound-like-a-bit/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) ## More by Jeffrey Eugenides > [“Only the Lisbon house remained dark, a tunnel, an emptiness, past our smoke and flames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/only-the-lisbon-house-remained-dark-a-tunnel-an-emptiness-past-our/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“She had just started living like a grown-up and she'd never felt more vulnerable, frightened or confused in her life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/she-had-just-started-living-like-a-grown-up-and-she-d-never-felt-more/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [It's often said that a traumatic experience early in life marks a person forever, pulls her out of line, saying, "Stay there. Don't move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/it-s-often-said-that-a-traumatic-experience-early-in-life-marks-a/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Adolescents tend to seek love where they can find it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/adolescents-tend-to-seek-love-where-they-can-find-it/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“The window was still open,” Mr Lisbon said. “I don’t think we’d ever remembered to shut it. It was all clear to me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/the-window-was-still-open-mr-lisbon-said-i-don-t-think-we-d-ever/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I was aware that you weren't supposed to write about suburbia, that it was undignified in some way, the subject matter not momentous enough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-was-aware-that-you-weren-t-supposed-to-write-about-suburbia-that-it/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Dr. Armonson stitched up her wrist wounds. Within five minutes of the transfusion he declared her out of danger. Chucking her under the chin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/dr-armonson-stitched-up-her-wrist-wounds-within-five-minutes-of-the/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“I don't approve of women driving, mind you. And now they get to vote!" He grumbled to himself. "Remember that play we saw ("The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-don-t-approve-of-women-driving-mind-you-and-now-they-get-to-vote-he/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Her face was calm, but inside she was tense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/her-face-was-calm-but-inside-she-was-tense/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I know that attaching memories to books may be going out of the world, but while it lasts, it's a strong record of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-know-that-attaching-memories-to-books-may-be-going-out-of-the-world/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I spend most of every day writing. I like to write every day if I can. I don't start extremely early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-spend-most-of-every-day-writing-i-like-to-write-every-day-if-i-can/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Maybe the best proof that the language is patriarchal is that it oversimplifies feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/maybe-the-best-proof-that-the-language-is-patriarchal-is-that-it/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [We knew that Cecilia had killed herself because she was a misfit, because the beyond called to her, and we knew that her sisters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/we-knew-that-cecilia-had-killed-herself-because-she-was-a-misfit/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [You can tell when something's not moving forward anymore. When the doubts you have about it don't go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/you-can-tell-when-something-s-not-moving-forward-anymore-when-the/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Normality wasn't normal. It couldn't be. If normality were normal, everybody could leave it alone. They could sit back and let normality manifest itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/normality-wasn-t-normal-it-couldn-t-be-if-normality-were-normal/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) [Explore all 516 Jeffrey Eugenides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) ## More Desperate quotes > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [“I am a desperate romantic. I love the idea of random collisions of the heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-thompson/i-am-a-desperate-romantic-i-love-the-idea-of-random-collisions-of-the/) [Jessica Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-thompson/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [“Really? I'm trying to place you. It seems like we've met before." Did I just issue him a pick up line? Fantastic, I've now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/really-i-m-trying-to-place-you-it-seems-like-we-ve-met-before-did-i/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [Never be desperate. Get rid of your insecurities. Know your worth. Believe in yourself and go get what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-be-desperate-get-rid-of-your-insecurities-know-your-worth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She was stupid and lonely. So desperate to be touched and loved with a good love. I need you, don't leave me, you're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-bane/she-was-stupid-and-lonely-so-desperate-to-be-touched-and-loved-with-a/) [Lucian Bane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-bane/) > [You mostly know that you want to be funny, know that you have the desire. It's not like people who grow up beautiful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/you-mostly-know-that-you-want-to-be-funny-know-that-you-have-the/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [I had to smile when stories emerged questioning whether I was gay. Obviously I knew I wasn't but people were curiously desperate to suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-had-to-smile-when-stories-emerged-questioning-whether-i-was-gay/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [The World Health Organisation has a lot of its medical experts sitting in Geneva while hospitals in Africa have no drugs and desperate patients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-hanson/the-world-health-organisation-has-a-lot-of-its-medical-experts/) [Pauline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-hanson/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I know it's a film and all of that, and it's a Hollywood film, but it kind of feels like this sometimes, when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-marber/i-know-it-s-a-film-and-all-of-that-and-it-s-a-hollywood-film-but-it/) [Patrick Marber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-marber/) > [“you think I"m that desperate?" "The raging hard-on jabbing at me says yes." ~Creed/Annika”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-croft/you-think-i-m-that-desperate-the-raging-hard-on-jabbing-at-me-says/) [Sydney Croft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-croft/) > [Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/along-with-a-livable-wage-many-parents-are-desperate-for-quality/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [As a player, if a club is desperate to sign you, then you can benefit from that. Desperate clubs are prepared to pay more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-forlan/as-a-player-if-a-club-is-desperate-to-sign-you-then-you-can-benefit/) [Diego Forlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-forlan/) [Browse all 1,618 Desperate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In desperate moods he asked his mirror why the girl he was crazy about was the only girl not crazy about him.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeffrey Eugenides" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-why-the-girl-he-was-crazy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desperate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-why-the-girl-he-was-crazy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desperate_in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-w_2951706.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In desperate moods he asked his mirror why the girl he was crazy about was the only girl not crazy about him.” — Jeffrey Eugenides", "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": "Jeffrey Eugenides", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In desperate moods he asked his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-why-the-girl-he-was-crazy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/in-desperate-moods-he-asked-his-mirror-why-the-girl-he-was-crazy/#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 } } ] } ```