--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A pathetic shadow, torn between her envy…" description: "\"A pathetic shadow, torn between her envy and thrill of being seen with Masomma, sharing in the attention as a weed would, lapping up water meant for th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/khaled-hosseini-251_adventure_a-pathetic-shadow-torn-between-her-envy_1441197.jpg" --- # A pathetic shadow, torn between her envy and thrill of… ![“A pathetic shadow, torn between her envy and thrill of being seen with Masomma, sharing in the attention as a weed would, lapping up water meant for the lily upstream.” quote by Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/khaled-hosseini-251_adventure_a-pathetic-shadow-torn-between-her-envy_1441197.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/khaled-hosseini-251_adventure_a-pathetic-shadow-torn-between-her-envy_1441197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb6/khaled-hosseini-251_adventure_a-pathetic-shadow-torn-between-her-envy_1441197.jpg) > “A pathetic shadow, torn between her envy and thrill of being seen with Masomma, sharing in the attention as a weed would, lapping up water meant for the lily upstream.” [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person feels jealous and craves attention, likening themselves to a weed that drinks water meant for a superior flower. **In simple terms:** Envy and desire for validation cause self‑deprecation. Key Takeaway Recognize and redirect envy into personal growth. Themes envy validation selfworth Mood melancholic reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - social gatherings - online fame - career competition - personal relationships Key Concepts social comparison inferiority complex Questions to Reflect On - What does the lily represent for you? - How can you nurture your own growth without comparison? A Different Perspective Envy can blind one to one own value and potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Envy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/envy/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Lilies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lilies/) [Lily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lily/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Thrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrill/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-lily-or-a-rose-never-pretends-and-its-beauty-is-that-it-is-what-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Fair as a lily, and not only the pride of life, but the desire of his eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/fair-as-a-lily-and-not-only-the-pride-of-life-but-the-desire-of-his/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [C. albus...I think the very loveliest of all the lily family - a spotless soul, plant saint, that every one must love and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/c-albus-i-think-the-very-loveliest-of-all-the-lily-family-a-spotless/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [From the sprinkled isles, Lily on lily, that o'erlace the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/from-the-sprinkled-isles-lily-on-lily-that-o-erlace-the-sea/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [Rejoice with the day lily for it is born for a day to live by the mailbox and glorify the roadside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/rejoice-with-the-day-lily-for-it-is-born-for-a-day-to-live-by-the/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [For Lily, there was only her phantom lover, bold enough, arrogant enough, crazy enough to dare follow her here when he was in far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/for-lily-there-was-only-her-phantom-lover-bold-enough-arrogant-enough/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [A lily of a day Is fairer far in May, Although it fall and die that night, It was the plant and flower of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/a-lily-of-a-day-is-fairer-far-in-may-although-it-fall-and-die-that/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Like the lily That once was mistress of the field and flourished, I'll hang my head and perish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/like-the-lily-that-once-was-mistress-of-the-field-and-flourished-i-ll/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Being around Lily Tomlin has been great, how she treats people, how she handles herself, how she goes about interpreting her character or deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/being-around-lily-tomlin-has-been-great-how-she-treats-people-how-she/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [I wish I were the lily's leaf To fade upon that bosom warm, Content to wither, pale and brief, The trophy of thy paler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/i-wish-i-were-the-lily-s-leaf-to-fade-upon-that-bosom-warm-content-to/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [I've frequently been asked over the years who Lily Savage was based on and I've always answered that it was no one in particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-o-grady/i-ve-frequently-been-asked-over-the-years-who-lily-savage-was-based/) [Paul O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-o-grady/) > [My best friend is Lily Aldridge. Her daughter's my godchild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-heatherton/my-best-friend-is-lily-aldridge-her-daughter-s-my-godchild/) [Erin Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-heatherton/) > [The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,The humble sheep a threat'ning horn:While the Lily white shall in love delight,Nor a thorn nor a threat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-modest-rose-puts-forth-a-thorn-the-humble-sheep-a-threat-ning/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [I see a lily on thy brow, With anguish moist and fever dew; And on thy cheek a fading rose Fast withereth too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-see-a-lily-on-thy-brow-with-anguish-moist-and-fever-dew-and-on-thy/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [The wild Bee reels from bough to bough With his furry coat and his gauzy wing, Now in a lily cup, and now Setting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-wild-bee-reels-from-bough-to-bough-with-his-furry-coat-and-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Khaled Hosseini > [“Winter was every kid’s favorite season in Kabul, at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove. The reason was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/winter-was-every-kid-s-favorite-season-in-kabul-at-least-those-whose/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Their fights didn’t so much end as dissipate, like a drop of ink in a bowl of water, with a residual taint that lingered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/their-fights-didn-t-so-much-end-as-dissipate-like-a-drop-of-ink-in-a/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“I think that everything he did, feeding the poor, giving money to friends in need, it was all a way of redeeming himself. 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And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The short of it is, as an aspiring writer, there is nothing as damaging to your credibility as saying that you don't like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-short-of-it-is-as-an-aspiring-writer-there-is-nothing-as-damaging/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [At that moment, she cannot think of a more reckless, irrational thing than choosing to become a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/at-that-moment-she-cannot-think-of-a-more-reckless-irrational-thing/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“He says this is war. There is no shame in war. Tell him he's wrong. War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/he-says-this-is-war-there-is-no-shame-in-war-tell-him-he-s-wrong-war/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Educate yourself, learn about what refugees face when they don't have homes, after they have lost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/educate-yourself-learn-about-what-refugees-face-when-they-don-t-have/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Rahim Khan laughed. “Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/rahim-khan-laughed-children-aren-t-coloring-books-you-don-t-get-to/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) [Explore all 697 Khaled Hosseini quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. 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