--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After all, when we were children, when…" description: "\"After all, when we were children, when things went wrong, there wasn’t much we could do to help put it right. But now we’re adults, now we can. That’s ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_adults_after-all-when-we-were-children-when-thi_2428942.jpg" --- # After all, when we were children, when things went wrong… ![“After all, when we were children, when things went wrong, there wasn’t much we could do to help put it right. But now we’re adults, now we can. That’s the thing, you see? Look at us, Akira. After all this time, we can finally put things right. Remember, old chap, how we used to play those games?…” quote by Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_adults_after-all-when-we-were-children-when-thi_2428942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_adults_after-all-when-we-were-children-when-thi_2428942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_adults_after-all-when-we-were-children-when-thi_2428942.jpg) > “After all, when we were children, when things went wrong, there wasn’t much we could do to help put it right. But now we’re adults, now we can. That’s the thing, you see? Look at us, Akira. After all this time, we can finally put things right. Remember, old chap, how we used to play those games? Over and over? How we used to pretend we were detectives searching for my father? Now we’re grown, we can at last put things right.” [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects adult agency to correct past wrongs, contrasting childhood helplessness with mature responsibility. **In simple terms:** Adults can fix past mistakes, unlike children. Key Takeaway Take responsibility to right past errors. Themes responsibility redemption growth Mood reflective hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - social justice - reconciliation Key Concepts ethical agency memory moral duty Questions to Reflect On - What past wrongs can you address now? - How does adult agency change societal outcomes? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Adults Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-thing-255915/) [Chaps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaps/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Detectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detectives/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Game over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-over/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Right Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-adults-255914/) [Things Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-right/) [Things Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-went-255916/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [It's what all actors try to do, really, to just preserve the child inside them because their imagination is quite available. 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Or even if you go and watch some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/it-makes-me-think-about-how-you-hear-these-young-people-say-i-see-you/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I don't think anybody in the game over the last several years has made more plays than Richard Sherman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/i-don-t-think-anybody-in-the-game-over-the-last-several-years-has/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [She's the coolest person in the world...I don't date what the person does...You know what I mean? I could have been a zitty teenager…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-levine/she-s-the-coolest-person-in-the-world-i-don-t-date-what-the-person/) [Adam Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-levine/) > [If youre facing problems in life, be a waiter not a quitter, play it better not bitter, because sooner or later you will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rbuendia/if-youre-facing-problems-in-life-be-a-waiter-not-a-quitter-play-it/) [RBUENDIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rbuendia/) > [Risk is relative. And relative to the imminent planetary 'game over' neon sign that's starting to flicker above our children's heads, just as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hampton/risk-is-relative-and-relative-to-the-imminent-planetary-game-over/) [Dave Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hampton/) > [The ‘friend zone’ is like the penalty box of dating, only you can never get out. Once a girl decides you’re her ‘friend,’ it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/the-friend-zone-is-like-the-penalty-box-of-dating-only-you-can-never/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I fired the nurse the next day because she didn't check out the NFL schedule in advance - just kidding, ... I plan to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-hunt/i-fired-the-nurse-the-next-day-because-she-didn-t-check-out-the-nfl/) [Lamar Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-hunt/) > [We have to get better at that. All of the Stanley Cup winning teams throughout the past few seasons, when they needed to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-yzerman/we-have-to-get-better-at-that-all-of-the-stanley-cup-winning-teams/) [Steve Yzerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-yzerman/) > [I burned through all of my extra lives in a matter of minutes, and my two least-favorite words appeared on the screen: GAME OVER.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/i-burned-through-all-of-my-extra-lives-in-a-matter-of-minutes-and-my/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [The only way to win tournaments is with the short game. Over half your shots out here are within 30 or 40 yards. Ballstriking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mickelson/the-only-way-to-win-tournaments-is-with-the-short-game-over-half-your/) [Phil Mickelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mickelson/) > [I'd take 12 guys who had a strong passion for the game over 12 guys who don't respect the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-d-take-12-guys-who-had-a-strong-passion-for-the-game-over-12-guys/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Como un angel," I whisper. "Is our game over?" she asks nervously. "It's definitely over, querida. 'Cause what we're gonna do next is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/como-un-angel-i-whisper-is-our-game-over-she-asks-nervously-it-s/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) ## More by Kazuo Ishiguro > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [As a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/as-a-writer-i-m-more-interested-in-what-people-tell-themselves/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“About him and his wife voting for different parties. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable.” “No doubt.” “Quite extraordinary the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/about-him-and-his-wife-voting-for-different-parties-a-few-years-ago/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? One could presumably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/but-what-is-the-sense-in-forever-speculating-what-might-have-happened/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“Silence is just as likely to indicate the most profound ideas forming, the deepest energies being summoned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/silence-is-just-as-likely-to-indicate-the-most-profound-ideas-forming/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“I don't know why, but it didn't seem an option for more than one of us to storm off, and I wanted to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-know-why-but-it-didn-t-seem-an-option-for-more-than-one-of-us/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [Our family arrived in England in 1960. At that time I thought the war was ancient history. But if I think of 15 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/our-family-arrived-in-england-in-1960-at-that-time-i-thought-the-war/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/he-chose-a-certain-path-in-life-it-proved-to-be-a-misguided-one-but/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“For however one may come in later years to reassess one’s achievements, it is always a consolation to know that one’s life has contained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/for-however-one-may-come-in-later-years-to-reassess-one-s/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [You're always in a rush, or else you're too exhausted to have a proper conversation. Soon enough, the long hours, the traveling, the broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/you-re-always-in-a-rush-or-else-you-re-too-exhausted-to-have-a-proper/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I don't think it's any fun, even if you are one of the most respected authors in the world like Margaret Atwood, to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-fun-even-if-you-are-one-of-the-most-respected/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I think it's quite difficult to understand what kind of life a writer leads. They might be millionaires, or they might be starving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-think-it-s-quite-difficult-to-understand-what-kind-of-life-a-writer/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“But this small episode is as good an illustration as any of the hazards of uttering witticisms. By the very nature of a witticism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/but-this-small-episode-is-as-good-an-illustration-as-any-of-the/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [There comes a point when you can more or less count the number of books you're going to write before you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/there-comes-a-point-when-you-can-more-or-less-count-the-number-of/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [My wife is the most savage critic. She doesn't feel intimidated by my reputation. As far as she's concerned, she's just criticising a boyfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/my-wife-is-the-most-savage-critic-she-doesn-t-feel-intimidated-by-my/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) [Explore all 292 Kazuo Ishiguro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/) [K. Anders Ericsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-anders-ericsson/) > [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/) [One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/) [Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/) > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) [Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After all, when we were children, when things went wrong, there wasn’t much we could do to help put it right. But now we’re adults, now we can. That’s the thing, you see? Look at us, Akira. After all this time, we can finally put things right. Remember, old chap, how we used to play those games? Over and over? How we used to pretend we were detectives searching for my father? 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