Be the kind of woman Quote by Joan Didion
“As it happened, I didn't grow up to be the kind of woman who is the heroine in a Western, and although the men I have known have had many virtues and have taken me to live in many places I have come to love, they have never been John Wayne, and they have never taken me to the bend in the river where the cottonwoods grow. Deep in that part of my heart where artificial rain forever falls, that is still the line I want to hear.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Slouching Towards Bethlehem, 1968
She reflects on unmet romantic expectations and the longing for a mythic, cinematic love that never materialized.
In simple terms: She wanted a dramatic, heroic love that never came.
Key Takeaway
Accept reality and find beauty in ordinary love.
Themes
loneliness
romantic idealism
realism
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
personal
When to use this quote
- relationships
- self‑reflection
- creative work
Key Concepts
mythic heroism
personal longing
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “heroine” ideal mean to you?
- How can you cherish everyday love?
A Different Perspective
Romantic narratives may be unattainable and can cause disappointment.
![“I read so ravenously that I would read through whole categories. I was crazy about reading biographies. [...] I think biographies are very urgent to children.” quote by Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a53/joan-didion-497_biographies_i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-t_43631.jpg)
