--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What could a doormat rear but a pair of…" description: "\"“What could a doormat rear but a pair of boots?”\" — Kingsolver, Barbara" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg" --- # What could a doormat rear but a pair of boots? ![“What could a doormat rear but a pair of boots?” quote by Kingsolver, Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg) > ““What could a doormat rear but a pair of boots?”” [Kingsolver, Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsolver-barbara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A doormat is merely a placeholder for something stronger, like boots. **In simple terms:** A doormat can become boots. Key Takeaway Transform passive roles into active ones. Themes identity empowerment transformation Mood hopeful defiant Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - career change - relationships - social activism Key Concepts metaphor self‑assertion Questions to Reflect On - What "boots" will you wear? - How does society view your transformation? A Different Perspective Changing identity may require external support and risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boots/) [Doormat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doormat/) [Doormat Rear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doormat-rear-1505399/) [Pair Boots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pair-boots-310784/) [Rear Pair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rear-pair-1505400/) ## Related quotes > [“How could two people get the same set of parts and make such different constructions? But then, there was rising. That had to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/how-could-two-people-get-the-same-set-of-parts-and-make-such/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [My dad got me my first pair of boots. It was a big occasion for us to go to the shopping centre. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-crouch/my-dad-got-me-my-first-pair-of-boots-it-was-a-big-occasion-for-us-to/) [Peter Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-crouch/) > [“All you need to get to heaven is a good pair of boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelton-johnson/all-you-need-to-get-to-heaven-is-a-good-pair-of-boots/) [Shelton Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelton-johnson/) > [I'm a minimalist kind of person: only one pair of boots, one pair of pants, and if I could, only one shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-ralph/i-m-a-minimalist-kind-of-person-only-one-pair-of-boots-one-pair-of/) [Jason Ralph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-ralph/) > [I prefer a good pair of boots to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-prefer-a-good-pair-of-boots-to-shakespeare/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [If I've got a tall pair of boots, I feel like I'll be alright. Even a plain T-shirt looks good with a tall pair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-rowsell/if-i-ve-got-a-tall-pair-of-boots-i-feel-like-i-ll-be-alright-even-a/) [Ellie Rowsell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-rowsell/) > [I think every man should have a pair of boots. They're really sexy. Leather boots, cowboy boots, it depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemp-muhl/i-think-every-man-should-have-a-pair-of-boots-they-re-really-sexy-2/) [Kemp Muhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemp-muhl/) > [I do know if you lace up a pair of boots, Kurt Angle is someone you want to get in the ring with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-vontavious-porter/i-do-know-if-you-lace-up-a-pair-of-boots-kurt-angle-is-someone-you/) [Montel Vontavious Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-vontavious-porter/) > [I have a pair of boots that I bought secondhand that gradually fell apart. I had them cobbled about 20 times, and I eventually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/i-have-a-pair-of-boots-that-i-bought-secondhand-that-gradually-fell/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [Sometimes the songs just come to me. I don't sit down to write like you'd sit down to make a pair of boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan/sometimes-the-songs-just-come-to-me-i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-like/) [Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan/) > [Whether it's something with a chunkier heel or a moto style, you need a great pair of boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-goreski/whether-it-s-something-with-a-chunkier-heel-or-a-moto-style-you-need/) [Brad Goreski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-goreski/) > [Just bought a pair of boots that are so comfortable when you're kicking someone in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/just-bought-a-pair-of-boots-that-are-so-comfortable-when-you-re/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Dolph has got to be one of the toughest men to put on a pair of boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/dolph-has-got-to-be-one-of-the-toughest-men-to-put-on-a-pair-of-boots/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“Funny when you're the only pair of boots in a sandals town.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kosh/funny-when-you-re-the-only-pair-of-boots-in-a-sandals-town/) [Jeffrey Kosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kosh/) > [The first pair of boots I remember owning were Puma Spiders - I still have them in a cupboard at home! They were fantastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-crouch/the-first-pair-of-boots-i-remember-owning-were-puma-spiders-i-still/) [Peter Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-crouch/) ## More by Kingsolver, Barbara > [“Even now dread still struck her down sometimes if she found herself counting on things being fine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsolver-barbara/even-now-dread-still-struck-her-down-sometimes-if-she-found-herself/) [Kingsolver, Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsolver-barbara/) > [“There is no life raft' you're just freaking swimming all the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsolver-barbara/there-is-no-life-raft-you-re-just-freaking-swimming-all-the-time/) [Kingsolver, Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsolver-barbara/) [Explore all 3 Kingsolver, Barbara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsolver-barbara/) ## More Boots quotes > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [“The hiking boots the outdoor adventure magazine sent me to buy - large, ungainly potato like things that I have been trying to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-hiking-boots-the-outdoor-adventure-magazine-sent-me-to-buy-large/) [david rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. If the music industry wants to save money, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/stop-trying-to-treat-music-like-it-s-a-tennis-shoe-something-to-be/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [We did rent some houses in different hub cities which made it that we weren't in hotels all the time. But we're on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/we-did-rent-some-houses-in-different-hub-cities-which-made-it-that-we/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [He won't, won't he? Then bring me my boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-harris-barham/he-won-t-won-t-he-then-bring-me-my-boots/) [Richard Harris Barham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-harris-barham/) > [I've always got such high expectations for myself. I'm aware of them, but I can't relax them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-decker/i-ve-always-got-such-high-expectations-for-myself-i-m-aware-of-them/) [Mary Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-decker/) > [“You can't judge a book by its steel-toed combat boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-steel-toed-combat-boots/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [I always felt so much more comfortable in the Western. The minute I got a horse and a hat and a pair of boots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mccrea/i-always-felt-so-much-more-comfortable-in-the-western-the-minute-i/) [Joel McCrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mccrea/) > [I love vintage cowboy boots, and some days I'm into platform stilettos encrusted in jewels. It's really all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/i-love-vintage-cowboy-boots-and-some-days-i-m-into-platform-stilettos/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I wore hot pants and cowboy boots and I thought, 'What have I gotten myself into?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-wore-hot-pants-and-cowboy-boots-and-i-thought-what-have-i-gotten/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) [Browse all 1,025 Boots quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boots/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What could a doormat rear but a pair of boots?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kingsolver, Barbara" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsolver-barbara/what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of-boots/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boots" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsolver-barbara/what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of-boots/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/084/kingsolver-barbara-85681_boots_what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of_2549241.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What could a doormat rear but a pair of boots?” — Kingsolver, Barbara", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kingsolver, Barbara", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsolver-barbara/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What could a doormat rear but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsolver-barbara/what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of-boots/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsolver-barbara/what-could-a-doormat-rear-but-a-pair-of-boots/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```