--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Strange things happen when we stand face…" description: "\"“Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our enemy, don't they, Phaedra of Alonso?”\" — Melina Marchetta" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png" --- # Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our… ![“Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our enemy, don't they, Phaedra of Alonso?” quote by Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png) > ““Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our enemy, don't they, Phaedra of Alonso?”” [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing an enemy reveals unexpected truths and emotions. **In simple terms:** Confrontation uncovers hidden insights. Key Takeaway Embrace dialogue with opponents. Themes conflict self‑discovery empathy relationships growth Mood tense introspective Type dramatic literary When to use this quote - debates - mediation sessions - personal confrontations - political negotiations Key Concepts psychology of rivalry narrative tension character development Questions to Reflect On - What have you learned from confronting an adversary? - Can empathy change the outcome of conflict? A Different Perspective Opponents may remain unyielding despite insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Face to face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-to-face/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [Phaedra of Alonso’s death was a never-ending pain that gnawed at his insides. It made him a prisoner in his own cottage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/phaedra-of-alonso-s-death-was-a-never-ending-pain-that-gnawed-at-his/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“We seem to face an enemy who, no matter how many times we win, will best us in the end. He has so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/we-seem-to-face-an-enemy-who-no-matter-how-many-times-we-win-will/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [In the face of the enemy's attempt to sow fear, we must continue with routine life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoav-gallant/in-the-face-of-the-enemy-s-attempt-to-sow-fear-we-must-continue-with/) [Yoav Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoav-gallant/) > [It takes so much courage to face your enemy, but even more to be kind to those who hurt you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/it-takes-so-much-courage-to-face-your-enemy-but-even-more-to-be-kind/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [She was right that reality can be harsh and that you shut your eyes to it only at your peril because if you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/she-was-right-that-reality-can-be-harsh-and-that-you-shut-your-eyes/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [We face an enemy that is brutal. There is no negotiation with these people. You can't try to talk reason into these totalitarians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-face-an-enemy-that-is-brutal-there-is-no-negotiation-with-these/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I have seen, the true face of the enemy; in my mirror. Dare you look, see, the same Demon, that plagues me? The Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/i-have-seen-the-true-face-of-the-enemy-in-my-mirror-dare-you-look-see/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how it resembles me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-face-of-the-enemy-frightens-me-only-when-i-see-how-it-resembles-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We face the enemy and contend with him—if he turns away we let him go. 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But I remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/and-then-you-came-along-and-you-spoke-to-me-and-nobody-had-looked-me/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Do you want to know something about tyrants? When faced with death, they weep and they beg just like the rest of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/do-you-want-to-know-something-about-tyrants-when-faced-with-death/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I need voices of reason and of hysteria and of empathy. I need to have an Alanis moment. 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It made him a prisoner in his own cottage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/phaedra-of-alonso-s-death-was-a-never-ending-pain-that-gnawed-at-his/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [You know what? You didn't do anything wrong. I did. It's this dumb thing I do. I look into things and see more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-know-what-you-didn-t-do-anything-wrong-i-did-it-s-this-dumb-thing/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Everything's going to be fine. She'll be back at work soon. Let's just keep the house clean." Oh yeah, I want to say, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/everything-s-going-to-be-fine-she-ll-be-back-at-work-soon-let-s-just/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [See them together and you will feel a force that will take your breath away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/see-them-together-and-you-will-feel-a-force-that-will-take-your/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [We don't even love each other. I do a bit, you know. You do what a bit? You know. Like you...whatever...love you a bit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/we-don-t-even-love-each-other-i-do-a-bit-you-know-you-do-what-a-bit/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I’m scared I’m going to spend the rest of my life in a state of yearning, regardless of where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-m-scared-i-m-going-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-in-a-state-of/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) [Explore all 602 Melina Marchetta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? 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Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. 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Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our enemy, don't they, Phaedra of Alonso?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melina Marchetta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face-to-face-with-our-enemy-don-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face-to-face-with-our-enemy-don-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/739/melina-marchetta-392_enemy_strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face_1385038.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our enemy, don't they, Phaedra of Alonso?” — Melina Marchetta", "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": "Melina Marchetta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Strange things happen when we stand...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face-to-face-with-our-enemy-don-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face-to-face-with-our-enemy-don-t/#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 } } ] } ```