--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She was every Cora she'd ever been: Cora…" description: "\"“She was every Cora she'd ever been: Cora X, Cora Kaufmann, Cora Carlisle. She was an orphan on a roof, a lucky girl on a train, a dearly loved daughte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/laura-moriarty-17531_children_she-was-every-cora-she-d-ever-been-cora_1115790.png" --- # She was every Cora she'd ever been: Cora X, Cora Kaufmann… ![“She was every Cora she'd ever been: Cora X, Cora Kaufmann, Cora Carlisle. She was an orphan on a roof, a lucky girl on a train, a dearly loved daughter by chance. She was a blushing bride of seventeen, a sad and stoic wife, a loving mother, an embittered chaperone, and a daughter pushed away. She…” quote by Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/laura-moriarty-17531_children_she-was-every-cora-she-d-ever-been-cora_1115790.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/laura-moriarty-17531_children_she-was-every-cora-she-d-ever-been-cora_1115790.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/laura-moriarty-17531_children_she-was-every-cora-she-d-ever-been-cora_1115790.png) > ““She was every Cora she'd ever been: Cora X, Cora Kaufmann, Cora Carlisle. She was an orphan on a roof, a lucky girl on a train, a dearly loved daughter by chance. She was a blushing bride of seventeen, a sad and stoic wife, a loving mother, an embittered chaperone, and a daughter pushed away. She was a lover and a lewd cohabitator, a liar and a cherished friend, and aunt and a kindly grandmother, a champion of the fallen, and a late-in-coming fighter for reason over fear. Even in those final hours, quiet and rocking, arriving and departing, she knew who she was.”” [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) ## 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 illustrates a character embodying many roles and identities, showing the complexity of selfhood and how experiences accumulate to form a whole person. **In simple terms:** A person holds many roles that together define them. Key Takeaway Recognize and integrate the many facets of yourself. Themes identity complexity growth Mood introspective empathetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - storytelling - therapy - education - social roles Key Concepts psychology literature feminist theory Questions to Reflect On - Which roles define you most? - How do conflicting identities shape your choices? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on one role can obscure the full self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cora/) [Early love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-love/) [Loving mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-mother/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[Cora:\] Did you hit your head on a library book?” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lave/cora-did-you-hit-your-head-on-a-library-book/) [Jessica Lave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lave/) > [“Were they laughing at me? I forced myself to block them from my mind, to concentrate on the lake, the water. What were they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/were-they-laughing-at-me-i-forced-myself-to-block-them-from-my-mind/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [“They will be the architects of my fate, I think to myself, despite what Sybil said about my being the author of my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-white/they-will-be-the-architects-of-my-fate-i-think-to-myself-despite-what/) Kim White > [“I shuffle along, letting the current pull me, and i have the sense that I am like a rat caught in a maze of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ann-sandell/i-shuffle-along-letting-the-current-pull-me-and-i-have-the-sense-that/) [Lisa Ann Sandell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ann-sandell/) > [“This, Cora … this is as perfect as two people can be”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/this-cora-this-is-as-perfect-as-two-people-can-be/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [“When I reach the end of one row, I continue straight on away from the barn and the farm and the road. I walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ann-sandell/when-i-reach-the-end-of-one-row-i-continue-straight-on-away-from-the/) [Lisa Ann Sandell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ann-sandell/) > [“I think it’s genetically impossible not to be kind of in love with him when you come equipped with a vagina. It’s just something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/i-think-it-s-genetically-impossible-not-to-be-kind-of-in-love-with/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [“scattered parkgoers. Cora hunkered and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/scattered-parkgoers-cora-hunkered-and/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“God," she said, her tone gently reproving, "brought Mr.Kensington to you, and with him, a world of potential. As I see it, each of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/god-she-said-her-tone-gently-reproving-brought-mr-kensington-to-you/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [“Cora, you can turn around now. Your virgin eyes won’t be offended any longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franca-storm/cora-you-can-turn-around-now-your-virgin-eyes-won-t-be-offended-any/) [Franca Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franca-storm/) > [“Nate liked Death. Death was in the clothes that he wore and the music he listened to. He would wrap himself in a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ann-sandell/nate-liked-death-death-was-in-the-clothes-that-he-wore-and-the-music/) [Lisa Ann Sandell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ann-sandell/) > [“In this world,” I kept whispering, “you were the only thing I had but you were the only thing I needed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/in-this-world-i-kept-whispering-you-were-the-only-thing-i-had-but-you/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Cora didn't know a whole lot about wendigo, but there were ways in which they were just like people: they wanted above everything to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-bobet/cora-didn-t-know-a-whole-lot-about-wendigo-but-there-were-ways-in/) [Leah Bobet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-bobet/) > [“The Great War had always been between the white and the black. It always would be. Cora”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/the-great-war-had-always-been-between-the-white-and-the-black-it/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“Later, though, I wished I had spoken up, or at least tried to explain that once I knew Cora better than anyone. But that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/later-though-i-wished-i-had-spoken-up-or-at-least-tried-to-explain/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More by Laura Moriarty > [I know that sometimes when you are really worried about something, it ends up not being nearly as bad as you think it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/i-know-that-sometimes-when-you-are-really-worried-about-something-it/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [I don't think I've ever tried on a corset, though a certain bridesmaid's dress did require a torturous bustier that will stay forever burned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-tried-on-a-corset-though-a-certain-bridesmaid/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“They were still out on the sidewalk of West Eighty-sixth Street, the taxi pulling way, when Louise put down her travel bag, raised both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/they-were-still-out-on-the-sidewalk-of-west-eighty-sixth-street-the/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“She wondered when her daughter would realise that for the most part, people weren't that different. Young and old, male or female, pretty much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/she-wondered-when-her-daughter-would-realise-that-for-the-most-part/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [You could push people away, past their limits, even accidentally, and then it was just too late to get them back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/you-could-push-people-away-past-their-limits-even-accidentally-and/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“Eileen says what they should really do, if they want to be fair about it, is offer a Bible study class for credit, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/eileen-says-what-they-should-really-do-if-they-want-to-be-fair-about/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [Yes, Louise Brooks was beautiful and intelligent, and she could be very funny, but obviously there was a deep insecurity there, a real destructive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/yes-louise-brooks-was-beautiful-and-intelligent-and-she-could-be-very/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [This is how it is now. This is my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/this-is-how-it-is-now-this-is-my-life/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“Schopenhauer writes about marriage. He says getting married is like grasping blind into a sack of snakes and hoping to find an eel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/schopenhauer-writes-about-marriage-he-says-getting-married-is-like/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“You don't belong here if you are unhappy," she continued. "Your mother makes you hateful, and you make her hateful. It doesn't matter if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/you-don-t-belong-here-if-you-are-unhappy-she-continued-your-mother/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [My mother says that when Mrs. Rowley is mean, which is generally the case, it is really because she is just unhappy, and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/my-mother-says-that-when-mrs-rowley-is-mean-which-is-generally-the/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“Men don’t want candy that’s been unwrapped. Maybe for a lark, but not when it comes to marriage. It may still be perfectly clean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/men-don-t-want-candy-that-s-been-unwrapped-maybe-for-a-lark-but-not/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [I am supposed to be where I go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/i-am-supposed-to-be-where-i-go/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“Well,” Leigh said, because there was nothing else. She looked back at the picture of herself and Pam in the blue dresses. “We did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/well-leigh-said-because-there-was-nothing-else-she-looked-back-at-the/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) > [“She was grateful life could be long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moriarty/she-was-grateful-life-could-be-long/) [Laura Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) [Explore all 37 Laura Moriarty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moriarty/) ## More Children 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/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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