--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was his mother. When she wasn't…" description: "\"That was his mother. When she wasn't crying over the breakfast cereal, she was laughing about killing herself.\" — Nick Hornby" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/nick-hornby-325_breakfast_that-was-his-mother-when-she-wasn-t-cryi_419058.png" --- # That was his mother. When she wasn't crying over the… ![“That was his mother. When she wasn't crying over the breakfast cereal, she was laughing about killing herself.” quote by Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/nick-hornby-325_breakfast_that-was-his-mother-when-she-wasn-t-cryi_419058.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/nick-hornby-325_breakfast_that-was-his-mother-when-she-wasn-t-cryi_419058.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/nick-hornby-325_breakfast_that-was-his-mother-when-she-wasn-t-cryi_419058.png) > “That was his mother. When she wasn't crying over the breakfast cereal, she was laughing about killing herself.” [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His mother alternates between sorrow and dark humor, revealing a complex coping mechanism that blends tragedy with absurdity. **In simple terms:** She mixes grief with dark humor. Key Takeaway Recognize coping styles. Themes family mental health humor Mood wry thoughtful Type literary psychological When to use this quote - family dynamics - grief processing - dark comedy Key Concepts coping mechanisms psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does humor affect emotional processing? - When is dark humor harmful? A Different Perspective Humor may mask underlying distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [When I was little, I wasn't allowed to put sugar on my breakfast cereal because it made me so hyper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-o-brien/when-i-was-little-i-wasn-t-allowed-to-put-sugar-on-my-breakfast/) [Dan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-o-brien/) > [Who cares about the men who steered your breakfast cereal through winter storms? How ironic that the more ships have grown in size and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/who-cares-about-the-men-who-steered-your-breakfast-cereal-through/) [Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/) > [Every film is a remake of a previous film, or a remake of a television series that everyone loved in the 1960s, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/every-film-is-a-remake-of-a-previous-film-or-a-remake-of-a-television/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Really the topic of breakfast cereal is generally a very boring one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/really-the-topic-of-breakfast-cereal-is-generally-a-very-boring-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Susie: Hi Calvin! Aren't you excited about going to school? Look at all these great school supplies I got! I love having new notebooks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/susie-hi-calvin-aren-t-you-excited-about-going-to-school-look-at-all/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of your milk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/don-t-eat-breakfast-cereals-that-change-the-color-of-your-milk/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Throughout the day, I'll snack a lot. I always have some breakfast cereal, like Kellogg's cereal, something on hand, so that I can just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/throughout-the-day-i-ll-snack-a-lot-i-always-have-some-breakfast/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) > [“In life, as in breakfast cereal, it is always best to read the instructions on the box.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-life-as-in-breakfast-cereal-it-is-always-best-to-read-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The days of my youth I remember as nearly always in need of explanation, and not as much fun as advertised in the promotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-days-of-my-youth-i-remember-as-nearly-always-in-need-of/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal - that you can gather votes like box tops - is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-e-stevenson/the-idea-that-you-can-merchandise-candidates-for-high-office-like/) [Adlai E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-e-stevenson/) > [Breakfast cereals that come in the same colors as polyester leisure suits make oversleeping a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/breakfast-cereals-that-come-in-the-same-colors-as-polyester-leisure/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [My favorite breakfast cereal is Cocoa Pebbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentin-chmerkovskiy/my-favorite-breakfast-cereal-is-cocoa-pebbles/) [Valentin Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentin-chmerkovskiy/) > [Your favorite kind of cake can't be birthday cake, that's like saying your favorite kind of cereal is breakfast cereal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/your-favorite-kind-of-cake-can-t-be-birthday-cake-that-s-like-saying/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [The Breakfast of Champions isn't cereal, it's the competition!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/the-breakfast-of-champions-isn-t-cereal-it-s-the-competition/) [David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/) ## More by Nick Hornby > [You can wait forever for the muse to sit on your shoulder, but most of the time you know what has to be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/you-can-wait-forever-for-the-muse-to-sit-on-your-shoulder-but-most-of/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > […I've had a bad week." What's happened?" Nothing's happened. I've had a bad week in my head, is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-ve-had-a-bad-week-what-s-happened-nothing-s-happened-i-ve-had-a-bad/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“When they – I cannot bring myself to use the first-person plural in this instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/when-they-i-cannot-bring-myself-to-use-the-first-person-plural-in/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“What you don't ever catch a glimpse of on your wedding day - because how could you? - is that some days you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/what-you-don-t-ever-catch-a-glimpse-of-on-your-wedding-day-because/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. 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I wasted every minute at Cambridge talking to people who knew more about music than I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-wasted-the-1980s-i-wasted-every-minute-at-cambridge-talking-to/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“I took her outside on to a little roof terrace that looked like it never got the sun at nay time of the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-took-her-outside-on-to-a-little-roof-terrace-that-looked-like-it/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“I feel as though I have been having conversations like this all my life. None of us is young anymore, but what has just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-feel-as-though-i-have-been-having-conversations-like-this-all-my/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“I'm OK. Really. I can find people. I'll be all right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-ok-really-i-can-find-people-i-ll-be-all-right/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Read any women's magazine and you'll see the same complaint over and over again: men - those little boys ten or twenty or thirty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/read-any-women-s-magazine-and-you-ll-see-the-same-complaint-over-and/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Defansçılar her zaman forvetçilerden daha iyi analizcilerdir.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/defans-lar-her-zaman-forvet-ilerden-daha-iyi-analizcilerdir/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [On New Year's Eve he ould make a resolution to recover some his previous scepticism, but until then he would do as the Romans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/on-new-year-s-eve-he-ould-make-a-resolution-to-recover-some-his/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [It's no good looking to writers for definitions of what constitutes proper writing, because you will drive yourself crazy, and you won't find anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-s-no-good-looking-to-writers-for-definitions-of-what-constitutes/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) [Explore all 645 Nick Hornby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## More Breakfast quotes > [Get out from that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Well, roll my breakfast cause I'm a hungry man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-joe-turner/get-out-from-that-kitchen-and-rattle-those-pots-and-pans-well-roll-my/) [Big Joe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-joe-turner/) > [“Well, maybe you can make me dinner sometime,” he says to me, his voice taking on this silken quality that feels like stepping into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/well-maybe-you-can-make-me-dinner-sometime-he-says-to-me-his-voice/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [Guys wake up at your place and they expect breakfast. They don't eat bagels and M&M's in the morning. They want things like toast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/guys-wake-up-at-your-place-and-they-expect-breakfast-they-don-t-eat/) [Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/) > [My mom cares that I tweeted a picture of my breakfast. She's knows I'm eating and I'm safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/my-mom-cares-that-i-tweeted-a-picture-of-my-breakfast-she-s-knows-i-m/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [I'll take the kids to school after breakfast. I love doing that - love being a dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/i-ll-take-the-kids-to-school-after-breakfast-i-love-doing-that-love/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [I always wanted to be a movie star. I thought it meant being famous and having breakfast in bed. I didn't know you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-allyson/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star-i-thought-it-meant-being-famous/) [June Allyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-allyson/) > [I am first one in the gym, I do cardio before I have breakfast, and I am training hard every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinder-mahal/i-am-first-one-in-the-gym-i-do-cardio-before-i-have-breakfast-and-i/) [Jinder Mahal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinder-mahal/) > [When I saw 'Breakfast at Tiffany's,' and Audrey Hepburn was standing in front of Tiffany's in this Givenchy dress, or when I saw 'All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/when-i-saw-breakfast-at-tiffany-s-and-audrey-hepburn-was-standing-in/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [Girl, he wants to dip you in Frosted Flakes and have you for breakfast. That's his favorite cereal, by the way." I...had no words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/girl-he-wants-to-dip-you-in-frosted-flakes-and-have-you-for-breakfast/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“    Breakfast was ready. He could hear his father asking for coffee. Why did his father have to yell all the time? Couldn't he talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/breakfast-was-ready-he-could-hear-his-father-asking-for-coffee-why/) [John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/) > [Your favorite kind of cake can't be birthday cake, that's like saying your favorite kind of cereal is breakfast cereal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/your-favorite-kind-of-cake-can-t-be-birthday-cake-that-s-like-saying/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [I try to cover three food groups at breakfast. I see that as a licence to eat rubbish for the rest of the day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-millican/i-try-to-cover-three-food-groups-at-breakfast-i-see-that-as-a-licence/) [Sarah Millican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-millican/) > [I want to be challenged I want to work and I want to feel that I am not being held back that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vassilieva/i-want-to-be-challenged-i-want-to-work-and-i-want-to-feel-that-i-am/) [Sofia Vassilieva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vassilieva/) Browse all 1,505 Breakfast quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That was his mother. 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