Achieve Quote by Liza Campbell
![“At the beginning of the book [The Dissemblers], Ivy [Wilkes] has a long way to go in order to achieve self-sufficiency. Although she is very independent, even somewhat of a loner, she is very affected by other peoples' opinions. At the opening of the book, her ideas of success and achievement are…” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/69e/liza-campbell-17930_achieve_at-the-beginning-of-the-book-the-dissemb_787869.jpg)
“At the beginning of the book [The Dissemblers], Ivy [Wilkes] has a long way to go in order to achieve self-sufficiency. Although she is very independent, even somewhat of a loner, she is very affected by other peoples' opinions. At the opening of the book, her ideas of success and achievement are largely defined by the approval of others; over the arc of the story, I think that begins to change a little.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Dissemblers by A. S. Byatt, 1993
Ivy’s early reliance on others’ approval limits her independence, but she gradually learns self‑reliance.
In simple terms: She learns to trust herself more over time.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate self‑trust and reduce dependence on external validation.
Themes
self‑reliance
growth
identity
Mood
introspective
hopeful
Type
literary
motivational
When to use this quote
- college
- career start
- creative projects
- family expectations
Key Concepts
psychological development
social conformity
personal autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you shifted from seeking approval to trusting yourself?
- What supports your self‑confidence?
A Different Perspective
Change is gradual and may face setbacks.
![“Now I am as big of an [ Georgia] O'Keeffe admirer as Ivy [Wilkes] is, but that came through writing the book.” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/444/liza-campbell-17930_admirer_now-i-am-as-big-of-an-georgia-o-keeffe-a_2572967.jpg)
![“I was envious of [Vincent] Van Gogh because I could never make a painting that beautiful! (Ridiculous, I know.) That was when the character of Ivy [Wilkes] began to take shape for me.” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/288/liza-campbell-17930_beautiful_i-was-envious-of-vincent-van-gogh-becaus_2114739.jpg)
![“When Ivy [Wilkes] begins her work in forgery, she doesn't yet know the toll that it will take on her own original work. She even thinks it might be a way to find inspiration. By the time she realizes that she has lost her own voice, she is thoroughly entangled in the forgery mess.” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e2f/liza-campbell-17930_forgery_when-ivy-wilkes-begins-her-work-in-forge_1107033.jpg)
![“Ivy [Wilkes] does exhibit a certain impatience at the beginning of the book [The Dissemblers]. She doesn't want to wait through years of hard work and insignificance to make her mark on the art world. Part of her growth is in realizing - even embracing - that the process of art is more important…” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a47/liza-campbell-17930_art_ivy-wilkes-does-exhibit-a-certain-impati_300782.jpg)
![“[Ivy Wilkes] loves [Georgia] O'Keeffe's work, but is not satisfied by just looking at the paintings; she wants the painting to be her own. The plot grew naturally out of Ivy's personality (and flaws).” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d00/liza-campbell-17930_flaws_ivy-wilkes-loves-georgia-o-keeffe-s-work_387478.jpg)
![“I read letters and journal entries by [Georgia] O'Keeffe (which were infinitely more useful than any critical analysis of her work).” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c56/liza-campbell-17930_analysis_i-read-letters-and-journal-entries-by-ge_680547.jpg)
![“I was only loosely aware of [Georgia] O'Keeffe's work. Primarily, I had seen her famous paintings of skulls with flowers, which are not my favorite. I didn't really become familiar with her work until after I started writing the book, but the more I learned about her the more I admired her.” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bcf/liza-campbell-17930_book_i-was-only-loosely-aware-of-georgia-o-ke_853884.jpg)
![“Because Ivy [Wilkes] is just starting out as an artist, I wanted to focus on [Georgia] O'Keeffe's experiences when she was just starting out. I suspect there is a difference between being an unknown artist and being a celebrated artist. When nobody knows your work, nobody except you really cares…” quote by Liza Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/79d/liza-campbell-17930_art_because-ivy-wilkes-is-just-starting-out_1037992.jpg)
