--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They did laugh; they did fall in love…" description: "\"They did laugh; they did fall in love. And while they were under incredibly oppressive conditions, they constantly were trying to steal pleasures. When..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/jurnee-smollett-bell-9329_fall-in-love_they-did-laugh-they-did-fall-in-love-and_1199195.jpg" --- # They did laugh; they did fall in love. And while they were… ![“They did laugh; they did fall in love. And while they were under incredibly oppressive conditions, they constantly were trying to steal pleasures. When you go back to the slave narratives, and you read books like the 'Bullwhip Days' or 'Incidents in the Life of the Slave Girl,' they will share…” quote by Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/jurnee-smollett-bell-9329_fall-in-love_they-did-laugh-they-did-fall-in-love-and_1199195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/jurnee-smollett-bell-9329_fall-in-love_they-did-laugh-they-did-fall-in-love-and_1199195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/jurnee-smollett-bell-9329_fall-in-love_they-did-laugh-they-did-fall-in-love-and_1199195.jpg) > “They did laugh; they did fall in love. And while they were under incredibly oppressive conditions, they constantly were trying to steal pleasures. When you go back to the slave narratives, and you read books like the 'Bullwhip Days' or 'Incidents in the Life of the Slave Girl,' they will share what life was like, and it's a 365-degree view.” [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even under extreme oppression, people seek joy and love, revealing the full spectrum of human experience. **In simple terms:** People find love and joy despite harsh oppression. Key Takeaway Seek moments of joy in adversity. Themes resilience love human spirit oppression joy Mood reflective hopeful somber Type narrative historical inspirational When to use this quote - studying history - teaching literature - supporting marginalized voices - personal coping strategies Key Concepts psychology historical context survival agency Questions to Reflect On - How do small pleasures sustain hope? - What can modern societies learn from these narratives? A Different Perspective Joy can be fleeting and may not change systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fall in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-in-love/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) ## Related quotes > [ I read slave narratives, books like Bullwhip Days, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. \[The Root's chairman\] Henry Louis Gates has an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett/i-read-slave-narratives-books-like-bullwhip-days-incidents-in-the/) [Jurnee Smollett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett/) > [“The best thing is to possess pleasures without being their slave; not to be devoid of pleasures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristippus/the-best-thing-is-to-possess-pleasures-without-being-their-slave-not/) [Aristippus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristippus/) > [The slave narratives, there is a wealth of research there, because you are hearing stories from the first person account, and that's a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/the-slave-narratives-there-is-a-wealth-of-research-there-because-you/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [Revolutions are not exportable: revolutions are created by oppressive conditions which Latin American countries exercise against their peoples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/revolutions-are-not-exportable-revolutions-are-created-by-oppressive/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [Oh while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/oh-while-i-live-to-be-the-ruler-of-life-not-a-slave-to-meet-life-as-a/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [But I now entered on my fifteenth year - a sad epoch in the life of a slave girl. My master began to whisper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/but-i-now-entered-on-my-fifteenth-year-a-sad-epoch-in-the-life-of-a/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [Unless you have found something in life to live for that is more important to you than your own life, you will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/unless-you-have-found-something-in-life-to-live-for-that-is-more/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Pleas for white acceptance of black humanity have a long and terrible history in America, stretching back to the first slave narratives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/pleas-for-white-acceptance-of-black-humanity-have-a-long-and-terrible/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Everybody has told the story of black people in struggle except black people. The black people in the struggle haven't had the means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/everybody-has-told-the-story-of-black-people-in-struggle-except-black/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [Throughout African-American literature, the writer has, in a sense, been burdened by the necessity of pleading the case for the whole race. For example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/throughout-african-american-literature-the-writer-has-in-a-sense-been/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [Frankly, Django is an American story that needs to be told, when you think of slavery existing in this country for 245 years. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/frankly-django-is-an-american-story-that-needs-to-be-told-when-you/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [When a free man dies, he loses the pleasure of life. A slave loses his pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spartacus/when-a-free-man-dies-he-loses-the-pleasure-of-life-a-slave-loses-his/) [Spartacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spartacus/) > [Freedom from slavery is achieved only when a person starts to feel and understand that he would prefer death to life as a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarnail-singh-bhindranwale/freedom-from-slavery-is-achieved-only-when-a-person-starts-to-feel/) Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale > [“the life of a slave must be different from a master but living life its self is the same”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam/the-life-of-a-slave-must-be-different-from-a-master-but-living-life/) [mariam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam/) > [“The man who has no inner life is the slave of his surroundings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/the-man-who-has-no-inner-life-is-the-slave-of-his-surroundings/) [Henri Frédéric Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) ## More by Jurnee Smollett-Bell > [Little Richard played my uncle on 'Full House.' He's fabulous. I remember him being incredibly kind to me. I just remember him being super,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/little-richard-played-my-uncle-on-full-house-he-s-fabulous-i-remember/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [When I was 12 years old, I got involved with an organization called Artists for a New South Africa. One of its missions is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/when-i-was-12-years-old-i-got-involved-with-an-organization-called/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I started shooting 'The Defenders' two days after I wrapped' Friday Night Lights.' I was doing research for 'The Defenders' throughout - interviewing lawyers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-started-shooting-the-defenders-two-days-after-i-wrapped-friday/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [People look at you, and they think they know you. They think they can place you in a certain category by what they think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/people-look-at-you-and-they-think-they-know-you-they-think-they-can/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [Far too often, I read a script where the girls are the girlfriend or the set dressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/far-too-often-i-read-a-script-where-the-girls-are-the-girlfriend-or/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [It's not very exciting to go to work to just have your character's identity being defined by her relationship with her male counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/it-s-not-very-exciting-to-go-to-work-to-just-have-your-character-s/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [If I have a jump rope and a resistance band, I can work out anywhere. Even without a jump rope. If you do 200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/if-i-have-a-jump-rope-and-a-resistance-band-i-can-work-out-anywhere/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I have respect for therapists in general, because they hear so many stories. It's a lot to hold and take in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-have-respect-for-therapists-in-general-because-they-hear-so-many/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [Marriage is a work in progress, but it's beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/marriage-is-a-work-in-progress-but-it-s-beautiful/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I have a complex heritage: my mom is African American, and my dad is Jewish. Both were activists, and they met during the movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-have-a-complex-heritage-my-mom-is-african-american-and-my-dad-is/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I would be ignorant to say colorism doesn't exist; it's gross and disgusting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-would-be-ignorant-to-say-colorism-doesn-t-exist-it-s-gross-and/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I always said, 'Whenever I get pregnant, I'm going to embrace all of the body changes that happen.' My focus has not been on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-always-said-whenever-i-get-pregnant-i-m-going-to-embrace-all-of-the/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [With film, there's a consistency to it, but what I like about the TV shows that I've been fortunate to do, like 'Friday Night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/with-film-there-s-a-consistency-to-it-but-what-i-like-about-the-tv/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I'm a research queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-m-a-research-queen/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) > [I'm very grateful to have been able to work with so many talented filmmakers and actors during my career. I've learned so much from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett-bell/i-m-very-grateful-to-have-been-able-to-work-with-so-many-talented/) [Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) [Explore all 73 Jurnee Smollett-Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett-bell/) ## More Fall in love quotes > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“There's no need for a reason for people to fall in love. Even if people say there is a reason, that's just something they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuna-takagi/there-s-no-need-for-a-reason-for-people-to-fall-in-love-even-if/) [Yuna Takagi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuna-takagi/) > [“Will you destroy something in order to make it beautiful? Will you avoid something in order to fall in love with it? Will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-hassan-barbhuiya/will-you-destroy-something-in-order-to-make-it-beautiful-will-you/) [Hanif Hassan Barbhuiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-hassan-barbhuiya/) > [“They say your muscles have memory. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“Be sure to fall in love with someone who loves you more than you love them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-snow/be-sure-to-fall-in-love-with-someone-who-loves-you-more-than-you-love/) [Tiffany Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-snow/) > [When you fall in love for the first time, you're naive to every feeling that you're feeling, and you're almost obsessed with or addicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pettyfer/when-you-fall-in-love-for-the-first-time-you-re-naive-to-every/) [Alex Pettyfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-pettyfer/) > [“I lost my chance with you then, and maybe I deserved to, for being too scared to speak up and tell you how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-harlow/i-lost-my-chance-with-you-then-and-maybe-i-deserved-to-for-being-too/) [Melanie Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-harlow/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I give my heart completely to the experience and I really connect with people and make friends. 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When I got nominated for Diary of a Mad Housewife, I didn't think, 'Aah, now I'll get more money.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-snodgress/my-life-always-came-first-when-i-got-nominated-for-diary-of-a-mad/) [Carrie Snodgress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-snodgress/) > [It hurts to fall in love with a friend. You keep on hiding your feelings, avoiding it as much as you can until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-to-fall-in-love-with-a-friend-you-keep-on-hiding-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,044 Fall in love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall-in-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They did laugh; they did fall in love. And while they were under incredibly oppressive conditions, they constantly were trying to steal pleasures. 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