--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Odd choice of a word, isn’t it? Fish is…" description: "\"“Odd choice of a word, isn’t it? Fish is either singular, or plural. Imagine my surprise when I walked in the study and found not one fish in a tiny fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jennifer-probst-6574_animal-cruelty_odd-choice-of-a-word-isn-t-it-fish-is-ei_1387563.jpg" --- # Odd choice of a word, isn’t it? Fish is either singular… ![“Odd choice of a word, isn’t it? Fish is either singular, or plural. Imagine my surprise when I walked in the study and found not one fish in a tiny fish bowl, but an entire aquarium.” She practically vibrated for the need to fight. “Otto was lonely and you were practicing animal cruelty. He was…” quote by Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jennifer-probst-6574_animal-cruelty_odd-choice-of-a-word-isn-t-it-fish-is-ei_1387563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jennifer-probst-6574_animal-cruelty_odd-choice-of-a-word-isn-t-it-fish-is-ei_1387563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jennifer-probst-6574_animal-cruelty_odd-choice-of-a-word-isn-t-it-fish-is-ei_1387563.jpg) > ““Odd choice of a word, isn’t it? Fish is either singular, or plural. Imagine my surprise when I walked in the study and found not one fish in a tiny fish bowl, but an entire aquarium.” She practically vibrated for the need to fight. “Otto was lonely and you were practicing animal cruelty. He was too isolated. Now, he has friends and a place to swim.” “Yes, nice little tunnels and rocks and algae to play hide and seek with his buddies.”” [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) ## 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 uses a metaphor of a fish in a bowl versus an aquarium to illustrate isolation and the need for companionship, highlighting how loneliness can be alleviated by community and shared spaces. **In simple terms:** Isolation feels like a tiny bowl; community expands it like an aquarium. Key Takeaway Seek connections to expand your world. Themes loneliness community growth Mood reflective hopeful Type narrative illustrative When to use this quote - personal relationships - team building - mental health support Key Concepts metaphor social needs psychology Questions to Reflect On - What small steps can you take to broaden your social circle? - How does community change personal identity? A Different Perspective Isolation may persist despite external changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-cruelty/) [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Hide and seek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hide-and-seek/) ## Related quotes > [Consciousness is a singular for which there is no plural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-schrodinger/consciousness-is-a-singular-for-which-there-is-no-plural/) [Erwin Schrodinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-schrodinger/) > [Friendship should be in the singular; it can be no more plural than love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/friendship-should-be-in-the-singular-it-can-be-no-more-plural-than/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [How fishy on the fishiness scale? Ten is a stickleback and one is a whale shark." "A whale isn't a fish, Thursday." "A whale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/how-fishy-on-the-fishiness-scale-ten-is-a-stickleback-and-one-is-a/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Cut off my head, and singular I am, Cut off my tail, and plural I appear; Although my middle's left, there's nothing there! What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/cut-off-my-head-and-singular-i-am-cut-off-my-tail-and-plural-i-appear/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The truth was I'd given up waiting long ago. The moment had passed, the door between the lives we could have led and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/the-truth-was-i-d-given-up-waiting-long-ago-the-moment-had-passed-the/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [There’s no such thing as technology in the singular, only technologies in the plural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-michael-greer/there-s-no-such-thing-as-technology-in-the-singular-only-technologies/) [John Michael Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-michael-greer/) > [“plural is generally formed from the singular by the addition of s or es.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-devlin/plural-is-generally-formed-from-the-singular-by-the-addition-of-s-or/) [Joseph Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-devlin/) > [Remember: Y'all is singular. All y'all is plural. All y'all's is plural possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/remember-y-all-is-singular-all-y-all-is-plural-all-y-all-s-is-plural/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [... as a rule of thumb, whenever there appears a plural, correct for a singular. Should I ever let slip a royal WE, put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/as-a-rule-of-thumb-whenever-there-appears-a-plural-correct-for-a/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [The word 'universe' is obviously not intended to have a plural, but science has evolved in such a way that we need a plural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/the-word-universe-is-obviously-not-intended-to-have-a-plural-but/) [Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/) > [“I may not be like the women who came before me, but there are some things that are the same. I want a husband…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-cates/i-may-not-be-like-the-women-who-came-before-me-but-there-are-some/) [Georgia Cates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-cates/) > [World is crazier and more of it than we think, Incorrigibly plural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-macneice/world-is-crazier-and-more-of-it-than-we-think-incorrigibly-plural/) [Louis MacNeice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-macneice/) > [Christmas and the New Year are actually two holidays. So there is a plural, which in the English language, necessitates the use of 's.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/christmas-and-the-new-year-are-actually-two-holidays-so-there-is-a/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [“I could have been hanging out with my friends, but most of them were hanging out with their families or their Wiis. (Wiis? Wiii?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-could-have-been-hanging-out-with-my-friends-but-most-of-them-were/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When they – I cannot bring myself to use the first-person plural in this instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/when-they-i-cannot-bring-myself-to-use-the-first-person-plural-in/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## More by Jennifer Probst > [“The truth is, no man has ever wanted me enough to propose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/the-truth-is-no-man-has-ever-wanted-me-enough-to-propose/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“Leave it to a female to break your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/leave-it-to-a-female-to-break-your-heart/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“Alexa sniffled. “Oh my God, he gave her an airport scene! Just like in the books I read and all those movies. He followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/alexa-sniffled-oh-my-god-he-gave-her-an-airport-scene-just-like-in/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“Nothing wrong with curves on a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/nothing-wrong-with-curves-on-a-woman/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“You must be fierce and admit to love, my dear girl. It is the only way to win. And if you do lose, well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/you-must-be-fierce-and-admit-to-love-my-dear-girl-it-is-the-only-way/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“You've done proper already, and it hasn't worked. It's time you do dirty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/you-ve-done-proper-already-and-it-hasn-t-worked-it-s-time-you-do-dirty/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“He wanted to make her scream with delight, to cry his name as she orgasmed until she couldn’t remember the last time another man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/he-wanted-to-make-her-scream-with-delight-to-cry-his-name-as-she/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“My name might be similar, but I'd never say 'Laters, baby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/my-name-might-be-similar-but-i-d-never-say-laters-baby/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“Once again, he backed off from a challenge by hiding behind a twisted sense of honor. “Let’s change the subject, shall we?” “Sure. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/once-again-he-backed-off-from-a-challenge-by-hiding-behind-a-twisted/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“It was funny how heartbreak turned into great art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/it-was-funny-how-heartbreak-turned-into-great-art/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“Family sticks together no matter what happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/family-sticks-together-no-matter-what-happens/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“I'm tired of females who order a salad, then look as if they deserve a medal. A good meal is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/i-m-tired-of-females-who-order-a-salad-then-look-as-if-they-deserve-a/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“I’m not crying for the man you are,” she bit out. “I’m crying for the boy who never had anyone to care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/i-m-not-crying-for-the-man-you-are-she-bit-out-i-m-crying-for-the-boy/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“Alexa realized she’d always confessed everything to Maggie except for one event. The first time Nick kissed her. She’d known she loved him back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/alexa-realized-she-d-always-confessed-everything-to-maggie-except-for/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) > [“I just didn't care. I told you I don't like animals." She gave a snort, then settled back to silence. Cross another quality from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-probst/i-just-didn-t-care-i-told-you-i-don-t-like-animals-she-gave-a-snort/) [Jennifer Probst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) [Explore all 98 Jennifer Probst quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-probst/) ## More Animal cruelty quotes > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Death and Famine and War and Pollution continued biking towards Tadfield. And Grievous Bodily Harm, Cruelty To Animals, Things Not Working Properly Even After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/death-and-famine-and-war-and-pollution-continued-biking-towards/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [The Tories claim that they have changed. Their stance on foxhunting makes it absolutely clear that they haven't. They know the public doesn't agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-tories-claim-that-they-have-changed-their-stance-on-foxhunting/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [One night I couldn't sleep and I was up and just Googling random stuff and I'm like, 'Hmmm, PETA.' I saw all the videos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-pickler/one-night-i-couldn-t-sleep-and-i-was-up-and-just-googling-random/) [Kellie Pickler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-pickler/) > [“One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and not be held responsible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/one-of-the-most-dangerous-things-that-can-happen-to-a-child-is-to/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I had bought two male chimps from a primate colony in Holland. They lived next to each other in separate cages for several months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiaan-barnard/i-had-bought-two-male-chimps-from-a-primate-colony-in-holland-they/) [Christiaan Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiaan-barnard/) > [“Organic production has a particular challenge since the ideology of organic production and the expectations from consumers include that the food is produced in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-agen-s/organic-production-has-a-particular-challenge-since-the-ideology-of/) Sigrid Agenäs > [Let none count themselves wise who have not with the nerves of their imagination felt the pain of the vivisected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/let-none-count-themselves-wise-who-have-not-with-the-nerves-of-their/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [“This much is sure: as the humanemeconomy asserts its own power, it's own logic, and it's essential decency, an an older order is passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-pacelle/this-much-is-sure-as-the-humanemeconomy-asserts-its-own-power-it-s/) [Wayne Pacelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-pacelle/) > [“New Rule: Stop leaving couches on the sidewalk. Besides being lazy and ugly, it's animal cruelty. You teach your dog not to pee on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-stop-leaving-couches-on-the-sidewalk-besides-being-lazy-and/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Until you don't treat animals with love and affection, you are not civilized and cultured”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/until-you-don-t-treat-animals-with-love-and-affection-you-are-not/) [Sir P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [I was brought up in a way that was based purely on the senses. Everything in my upbringing was a reaction to growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-mccartney/i-was-brought-up-in-a-way-that-was-based-purely-on-the-senses/) [Stella McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-mccartney/) > [I'm no shrinking violet. I played hockey until half my teeth were knocked down my throat. 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