--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was when the world wasn't so big and…" description: "\"That was when the world wasn't so big and I could see everywhere. It was when my father was a hero and not a human.\" — Markus Zusak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/markus-zusak-165_bigs_that-was-when-the-world-wasn-t-so-big-an_2096424.png" --- # That was when the world wasn't so big and I could see… ![“That was when the world wasn't so big and I could see everywhere. It was when my father was a hero and not a human.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/markus-zusak-165_bigs_that-was-when-the-world-wasn-t-so-big-an_2096424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/markus-zusak-165_bigs_that-was-when-the-world-wasn-t-so-big-an_2096424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac7/markus-zusak-165_bigs_that-was-when-the-world-wasn-t-so-big-an_2096424.png) > “That was when the world wasn't so big and I could see everywhere. It was when my father was a hero and not a human.” [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. Childhood innocence sees the world simply, idealizing parents before reality sets in. **In simple terms:** Kids see parents as heroes before seeing flaws. Key Takeaway Cherish simple perspectives while growing. Themes innocence family growth Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - parent‑child relationships - nostalgic reflection - personal growth - education - storytelling Key Concepts idealization coming‑of‑age memory Questions to Reflect On - How did your view of a parent change? - What does “big world” mean to you now? A Different Perspective Nostalgia can blind us to present challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fathers/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Sons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [ I don't want to be considered a hero… Imagine \[if\] young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miep-gies/i-don-t-want-to-be-considered-a-hero-imagine-if-young-people-would/) [Miep Gies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miep-gies/) > [When one can realize whatever is happening around him n with him is only by his fault, then don't worry because you r real-hero…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manas/when-one-can-realize-whatever-is-happening-around-him-n-with-him-is/) Manas > [“...The people’s hero does not only have to be someone in possession of the scepter of power. It can be anyone capable of giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chando/the-people-s-hero-does-not-only-have-to-be-someone-in-possession-of/) [Janvier Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chando/) > [Imagine young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a hero to do your human duty. I am afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miep-gies/imagine-young-people-would-grow-up-with-the-feeling-that-you-have-to/) [Miep Gies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miep-gies/) > [Every man is responsible only for his own acts. The sons do not inherit the sins of the fathers. But can we say: that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksander-kwasniewski/every-man-is-responsible-only-for-his-own-acts-the-sons-do-not/) [Aleksander Kwasniewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksander-kwasniewski/) > [Relationships are interesting to me. Not just between men and women, but fathers and sons, brothers and sisters and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/relationships-are-interesting-to-me-not-just-between-men-and-women/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [Good fathers make good sons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-fathers-make-good-sons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I saw behind me those who had gone, and before me those who are to come. I looked back and saw my father, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/i-saw-behind-me-those-who-had-gone-and-before-me-those-who-are-to/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [“I wanted to ask my father about his regrets. I wanted to ask him what was the worst thing he'd ever done. His greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wanted-to-ask-my-father-about-his-regrets-i-wanted-to-ask-him-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fathers should teach their sons how to earn money because mothers teach their daughters how to spend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/fathers-should-teach-their-sons-how-to-earn-money-because-mothers/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Yes, we are our fathers' sons and daughters, but we are not their choices. For despite their absences we are still here. 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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 Bigs 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/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. 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