--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because…" description: "\"“And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed. And if a guy like you can stand up and do what you did, then maybe eve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg" --- # And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome… ![“And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed. And if a guy like you can stand up and do what you did, then maybe everyone can. Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of.’ And that’s when I realize, in a sweet cruel beautiful moment of clarity. I…” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg) > ““And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed. And if a guy like you can stand up and do what you did, then maybe everyone can. Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of.’ And that’s when I realize, in a sweet cruel beautiful moment of clarity. I smile, watch a crack in the cement, and speak Audrey and the Doorman. I tell them what I’m telling you now: I’m not the messenger at all, I’m the message.”” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing ordinary people achieve extraordinary acts shows anyone can become a catalyst for change. **In simple terms:** Ordinary people can become messages of change. Key Takeaway Recognize your own potential to inspire others. Themes potential heroism inspiration Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - community activism - storytelling Key Concepts ordinary heroism self‑realization Questions to Reflect On - What ordinary act could you take today? - How does seeing others succeed affect your confidence? A Different Perspective Not everyone feels capable of heroic acts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [“And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed. And if a guy like you can stand up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-are-the-epitome-of-2/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/it-wasn-t-until-the-show-was-almost-over-that-i-figured-out-what-it/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [How someone treats a waiter or doorman can tell you so much about a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-butler/how-someone-treats-a-waiter-or-doorman-can-tell-you-so-much-about-a/) [Austin Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-butler/) > [“I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-did-it-because-you-are-the-epitome-of-ordinariness/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“What I like best is walking with my hands in my pockets, having the Doorman next to me, and imagining that Audrey's on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-i-like-best-is-walking-with-my-hands-in-my-pockets-having-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Heard she f\*\*\*ed the doorman. Well thats cool I f\*\*\*ed the waitress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/heard-she-f-ed-the-doorman-well-thats-cool-i-f-ed-the-waitress/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“Every problem has a solution,' the doorman said. 'At least, that's what a close associate of mine says. Sometimes it just takes a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/every-problem-has-a-solution-the-doorman-said-at-least-that-s-what-a/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [Faith, the least exclusive club on Earth, has the craftiest doorman. Every time I've stepped through its wide-open doorway, I find myself stepping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/faith-the-least-exclusive-club-on-earth-has-the-craftiest-doorman/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [“I’m not going away until you open the door.” “People know I’m here. If you kill me, you won’t get away with it.” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-rose-ivy/i-m-not-going-away-until-you-open-the-door-people-know-i-m-here-if/) [Alyssa Rose Ivy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-rose-ivy/) > [Gentleman. A man who buys two of the same morning paper from the doorman of his favorite nightclub when he leaves with his girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dietrich/gentleman-a-man-who-buys-two-of-the-same-morning-paper-from-the/) [Marlene Dietrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dietrich/) > [My doorman is more important to me than any head of any company. He keeps us safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/my-doorman-is-more-important-to-me-than-any-head-of-any-company-he/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Everyone has that experience in a club where a doorman doesn't pick you out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-pierson/everyone-has-that-experience-in-a-club-where-a-doorman-doesn-t-pick/) [Kate Pierson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-pierson/) > [You just a doorman, door man. Damn, I wish I had more hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xv/you-just-a-doorman-door-man-damn-i-wish-i-had-more-hands/) XV > [I wanted to be a violin-maker like my dad, and then I wanted to be a doorman in my building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-moennig/i-wanted-to-be-a-violin-maker-like-my-dad-and-then-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Katherine Moennig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-moennig/) > [“There was no doorman outside Harrison Kinuye's house, just a Phillite senior leaning into a huge stone urn. He extricated himself as I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/there-was-no-doorman-outside-harrison-kinuye-s-house-just-a-phillite/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Conclusions quotes > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [It surprises me how quickly the press likes to reach conclusions about my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sussanne-khan/it-surprises-me-how-quickly-the-press-likes-to-reach-conclusions/) [Sussanne Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sussanne-khan/) > [I feel as if my mission is to write, to see, to observe, and I feel lazy if I'm not reaching conclusions. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/i-feel-as-if-my-mission-is-to-write-to-see-to-observe-and-i-feel-lazy/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Enough research will tend to support your conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bloch/enough-research-will-tend-to-support-your-conclusions/) [Arthur Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bloch/) > [Science fiction rarely is about scientists doing real science, in its slowness, its vagueness, the sort of tedious quality of getting out there and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/science-fiction-rarely-is-about-scientists-doing-real-science-in-its/) [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/) > [I don't want happy-face conclusions. I want the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-don-t-want-happy-face-conclusions-i-want-the-truth/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [We are not certain, we are never certain. If we were we could reach some conclusions, and we could, at last, make others take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-are-not-certain-we-are-never-certain-if-we-were-we-could-reach/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Logic matters. It leads us from simple ideas to surprising conclusions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/logic-matters-it-leads-us-from-simple-ideas-to-surprising-conclusions/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [I try not to make snap judgments. I never, ever make conclusions about products I've never tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-try-not-to-make-snap-judgments-i-never-ever-make-conclusions-about/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [People make conclusions about somebody before they actually get to know someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-reed/people-make-conclusions-about-somebody-before-they-actually-get-to/) [Patrick Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-reed/) > [Don't be so quick to jump from conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-alejandro-king-aka-the-covert-comic-2/don-t-be-so-quick-to-jump-from-conclusions/) John Alejandro King Aka 'The Covert Comic > [“the brain is a machine for jumping to conclusions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-brain-is-a-machine-for-jumping-to-conclusions/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [We are the sum total of the decisions we have made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-the-sum-total-of-the-decisions-we-have-made/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some call-in moderators are neutral and courteous. Then there's Rush Limbaugh, who is funny and pompous and a scapegoater and hatemonger. His popularity could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/some-call-in-moderators-are-neutral-and-courteous-then-there-s-rush/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [We first observe facts, then generalise, and then draw conclusions or principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-first-observe-facts-then-generalise-and-then-draw-conclusions-or/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) Browse all 108 Conclusions quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed. And if a guy like you can stand up and do what you did, then maybe everyone can. Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of.’ And that’s when I realize, in a sweet cruel beautiful moment of clarity. I smile, watch a crack in the cement, and speak Audrey and the Doorman. I tell them what I’m telling you now: I’m not the messenger at all, I’m the message.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Markus Zusak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-are-the-epitome-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conclusions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-are-the-epitome-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e83/markus-zusak-165_conclusions_and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-a_215311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did it because you are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed. And if a guy like you can…” — Markus Zusak", "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": "Markus Zusak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And why?’ He pauses. ‘I did...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-are-the-epitome-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/and-why-he-pauses-i-did-it-because-you-are-the-epitome-of/#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 } } ] } ```