--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reader, do you think it is a terrible…" description: "\"Reader, do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) somet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/kate-dicamillo-599_books_reader-do-you-think-it-is-a-terrible-thi_3128324.jpg" --- # Reader, do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when… ![“Reader, do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since,in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?” quote by Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/kate-dicamillo-599_books_reader-do-you-think-it-is-a-terrible-thi_3128324.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/kate-dicamillo-599_books_reader-do-you-think-it-is-a-terrible-thi_3128324.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/kate-dicamillo-599_books_reader-do-you-think-it-is-a-terrible-thi_3128324.jpg) > “Reader, do you think it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it (as the soldier said about happiness) something that you might just as well do, since,in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?” [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hope can feel irrational when evidence is lacking, yet it may be a personal act of defiance that sustains individual well‑being despite external indifference. **In simple terms:** Hope may be irrational but can sustain you personally. Key Takeaway Embrace hope as a personal choice. Themes hope existentialism personal agency Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - loneliness - public scrutiny - personal growth - mental health Key Concepts irrationality meaning-making psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - Is hope a selfish act or a necessary survival tool? - How does personal hope affect collective action? A Different Perspective Hope may not change outcomes for others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [In my stories for children, I sometimes show a hard, harsh, dangerous world. I'm going to show you the way it is, but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-my-stories-for-children-i-sometimes-show-a-hard-harsh-dangerous/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Forgiveness, reader, is, I think, something very much like hope and love - a powerful, wonderful thing. And a ridiculous thing, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/forgiveness-reader-is-i-think-something-very-much-like-hope-and-love/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I could be anything I wanted because I was an American. And I hope that that's really what's propelled me into public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-could-be-anything-i-wanted-because-i-was-an-american-and-i-hope/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Don't trust to much, don't love too much, don't hope to much, because that too much can really hurt you so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-merrow/don-t-trust-to-much-don-t-love-too-much-don-t-hope-to-much-because/) [James Merrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-merrow/) > [Truly, this is a nation that sees itself as one that instills hope and is really about allowing people to pursue their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/truly-this-is-a-nation-that-sees-itself-as-one-that-instills-hope-and/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I wanted to tell people that hope is really powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-jung/i-wanted-to-tell-people-that-hope-is-really-powerful/) [Jessica Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-jung/) > [As long as one heart still holds on, then hope is never really gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/as-long-as-one-heart-still-holds-on-then-hope-is-never-really-gone/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [Never lose hope in something you really want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-lose-hope-in-something-you-really-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“5 years, 260 weeks, 1,825 days, 2.3 million minutes. That was how long ago I met you.If I did it all again. Would you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-karr/5-years-260-weeks-1-825-days-2-3-million-minutes-that-was-how-long/) [Kim Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-karr/) > [And I wonder if anyone is really happy. I hope they are. I really hope they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-i-wonder-if-anyone-is-really-happy-i-hope-they-are-i-really-hope/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Hope is something really tough and tenacious you have to give up. It’s an addiction to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/hope-is-something-really-tough-and-tenacious-you-have-to-give-up-it-s/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [You know what sucks in life is when you get this hope that something really special is going to happen and then someone comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/you-know-what-sucks-in-life-is-when-you-get-this-hope-that-something/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Hope is really just desire disguised, just desperation, aching, dressed up like a prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hope-is-really-just-desire-disguised-just-desperation-aching-dressed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hope I find a really gorgeous woman, that I fall completely and madly in love with. I hope I find a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-ferrick/i-hope-i-find-a-really-gorgeous-woman-that-i-fall-completely-and/) [Melissa Ferrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-ferrick/) > [Living in hope is a really terrible thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hisham-matar/living-in-hope-is-a-really-terrible-thing/) [Hisham Matar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hisham-matar/) ## More by Kate DiCamillo > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“If every babe who cried were still alive, well, then, the world would be a very crowded place, indeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/if-every-babe-who-cried-were-still-alive-well-then-the-world-would-be/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [My father leaving the family shaped who I was and how I looked at the world. By the same token, my father telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/my-father-leaving-the-family-shaped-who-i-was-and-how-i-looked-at-the/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Reader, you may ask this queston. In fact, you must ask this question. Is it ridiculous for a very small, sickly, big-eared mouse to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/reader-you-may-ask-this-queston-in-fact-you-must-ask-this-question-is/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [It wasn't until my fifth or sixth book where I realized I'm trying to do the same thing in every story I tell, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/it-wasn-t-until-my-fifth-or-sixth-book-where-i-realized-i-m-trying-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [ \[He\] had the soul of a poet, and because of this, he liked very much to consider questions that had no answers. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/he-had-the-soul-of-a-poet-and-because-of-this-he-liked-very-much-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Everything about writing is hard for me except for that - the names pop into my head. That's one of the reasons why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/everything-about-writing-is-hard-for-me-except-for-that-the-names-pop/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Reading a story should be a fabulous, wonderful thing. The most important thing that parents can do for kids is to read with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/reading-a-story-should-be-a-fabulous-wonderful-thing-the-most/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [You have to learn how to write each book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/you-have-to-learn-how-to-write-each-book/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“If you have no intention of loving or being loved then the whole journey is pointless”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/if-you-have-no-intention-of-loving-or-being-loved-then-the-whole/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have found what I am supposed to do and to get to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-feel-like-the-luckiest-person-in-the-world-to-have-found-what-i-am/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“Everything, as you well know (having lived in this world long enough to have figured out a thing or two for yourself), cannot always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/everything-as-you-well-know-having-lived-in-this-world-long-enough-to/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“Dear God, thank you for warm summer nights and candlelight and good food. But thank you most of all for friends. We appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/dear-god-thank-you-for-warm-summer-nights-and-candlelight-and-good/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [There ain't no point in making soup unless others eat it. Soup needs another mouth to taste it, another heart to be warmed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/there-ain-t-no-point-in-making-soup-unless-others-eat-it-soup-needs/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [ I remember wanting to write a book with someone, the someone being Kate \[DiCamillo\], and we decided to write about two friends. We had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-remember-wanting-to-write-a-book-with-someone-the-someone-being/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) [Explore all 442 Kate DiCamillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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