Hope Quote by Patrick Ness
““I can read it. I can read her. Cuz she’s thinking about how her own parents also came here with hope like my ma. She’s wondering if the hope at the end of our hope is just as false as the one that was at the end of my ma’s. And she;s taking the words of my ma and putting them into the mouths of her own ma and pa and hearing them say that they love her and they miss her and they wish her the world. And she’s taking the song of my pa and she’s weaving it into everything else till it becomes a sad thing all her own. And it hurts her, but it’s an okay hurt, but it hurts still, but it’s good, but it hurts. She hurts. I know all this. I know it’s true. Cuz I can read her. I can read her Noise even tho she ain’t got none. I know who she is. I know Viola Eade.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, 2011
The narrator perceives another’s inner pain and hopes, recognizing shared generational longing and the bittersweet comfort of understanding.
In simple terms: She feels pain but also comfort in being understood.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge others’ hidden struggles.
Themes
empathy
generational trauma
hope
pain
understanding
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
emotional
When to use this quote
- family loss
- immigrant experience
- mental health
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
shared grief
family legacy
identity
narrative voice
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing another’s pain change your own?
- Can empathy become a burden?
A Different Perspective
The pain may be overwhelming and not always lead to healing.
