--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of…" description: "\"“Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes. Quiet desperation is the English way.”\" — Paul Cornell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6e/paul-cornell-19016_quiet-desperation_christopher-lassiter-pinched-the-top-of_2913637.jpg" --- # Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of his nose and… ![“Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes. Quiet desperation is the English way.” quote by Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6e/paul-cornell-19016_quiet-desperation_christopher-lassiter-pinched-the-top-of_2913637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6e/paul-cornell-19016_quiet-desperation_christopher-lassiter-pinched-the-top-of_2913637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6e/paul-cornell-19016_quiet-desperation_christopher-lassiter-pinched-the-top-of_2913637.jpg) > ““Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes. Quiet desperation is the English way.”” [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character's nervous habit reflects deep, quiet desperation. **In simple terms:** Nervous habit shows quiet desperation. Key Takeaway Notice subtle signs of inner struggle. Themes character desperation subtlety Mood reflective analytical Type literary psychological When to use this quote - fiction writing - acting - therapy Key Concepts psychology behavior literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What does the habit reveal? - How to address quiet desperation? A Different Perspective Desperation can be hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christopher Lassiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christopher-lassiter-4209078/) [Desperation English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperation-english-4209079/) [Lassiter Pinched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lassiter-pinched-4209077/) [Nose Closed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nose-closed-1844707/) [Quiet desperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-desperation/) ## Related quotes > [Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-english-way/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [“You can’t hum while holding your nose closed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/you-can-t-hum-while-holding-your-nose-closed/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense, maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bregman/who-among-us-does-not-move-through-life-with-the-hidden-sense-maybe/) [Peter Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bregman/) > [I am interested in the gap between what people say and what they think - the undiscovered world of people's lives. Lives of quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eyre/i-am-interested-in-the-gap-between-what-people-say-and-what-they/) [Richard Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eyre/) > [Human beings, as far as I can tell, seem to be divided into two subspecies -- the resigned, who live in quiet desperation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/human-beings-as-far-as-i-can-tell-seem-to-be-divided-into-two/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [Any life he'd ever heard of, his own included, was burdened with emotions - love, loss, jobs, jealousy, money, death, pain. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-z-hobson/any-life-he-d-ever-heard-of-his-own-included-was-burdened-with/) [Laura Z. Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-z-hobson/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-went-to-the-woods-because-i-wished-to-live-deliberately/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone's looking at me, I'm running 'round in circles, a quiet desperation's building higher, i've got to remember this is just a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/30-seconds-to-mars/everyone-s-looking-at-me-i-m-running-round-in-circles-a-quiet/) [30 Seconds To Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/30-seconds-to-mars/) > [Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. Or so the poet says. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stidham/most-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-and-go-to-the-grave-with-the/) [Richard Stidham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stidham/) > [“We’re the quiet woman at the end of the third-floor hallway, whose trash is always tidy, who smiles brightly in the stairwell with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/we-re-the-quiet-woman-at-the-end-of-the-third-floor-hallway-whose/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Be still, and the world is bound to turn herself inside out to entertain you. Everywhere you look, joyful noise is clanging to drown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/be-still-and-the-world-is-bound-to-turn-herself-inside-out-to/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-stereotyped-but-unconscious-despair-is-concealed-even-under-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Studies of people who report high well-being in their fifties and sixties indicate that they have lived lives that involved personal risks. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/studies-of-people-who-report-high-well-being-in-their-fifties-and/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) ## More by Paul Cornell > [“Black Knight: "I'm impressed. You even mended the t-shirt." Faiza: "Mate, you're with the NHS now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/black-knight-i-m-impressed-you-even-mended-the-t-shirt-faiza-mate-you/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“You hear stories like that all your life and think: cool, a ghost bus. But now we have to look at this stuff analytically...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/you-hear-stories-like-that-all-your-life-and-think-cool-a-ghost-bus/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/he-s-like-fire-and-ice-and-rage-he-s-like-the-night-and-the-storm-in/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [But the Fear (that sensation that all writers get of how the hell do words get from my puny little brain to into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/but-the-fear-that-sensation-that-all-writers-get-of-how-the-hell-do/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [ I don't think \[Russell T Davies\] sits up at night worrying about canonicity, except for the times when I'm pretty sure he does. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/i-don-t-think-russell-t-davies-sits-up-at-night-worrying-about/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“You with the tentacles, you're nicked!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/you-with-the-tentacles-you-re-nicked/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“John the Skrull: (as Merlyn) "Here, listen. It's me, Merlyn, the magic man. There's no need for all this conflict, like. I command you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/john-the-skrull-as-merlyn-here-listen-it-s-me-merlyn-the-magic-man/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“The neighbors... hadn't, thankfully, done the usual by saying that Losley was a pleasant neighbor who'd kept herself to herself. (Always delivered in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/the-neighbors-hadn-t-thankfully-done-the-usual-by-saying-that-losley/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“In this place, upwards of 400,000 British men were going to be killed. They'd lost 20,000 just the other day. He sucked a grim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/in-this-place-upwards-of-400-000-british-men-were-going-to-be-killed/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“Tara: So what does "Captain Britain's agent" actually do? Wisdom: Between you and me, Tara, it's work, work, work. I'm in charge of Brian's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/tara-so-what-does-captain-britain-s-agent-actually-do-wisdom-between/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [Rumpty!" he muttered, which was very rude if you were one of the few people in the universe who understood what it meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/rumpty-he-muttered-which-was-very-rude-if-you-were-one-of-the-few/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“Captain Midlands: "I met the real you once." John (Lennon) the Skrull: "You're meeting the real me now." Captain Midlands: "I told him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/captain-midlands-i-met-the-real-you-once-john-lennon-the-skrull-you/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“Only fools and criminals didn't know why they did things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/only-fools-and-criminals-didn-t-know-why-they-did-things/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [“John the Skrull: You say you've taken magic? Well all right, lads, all right. I could do the "Spartacus" thing, change into one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/john-the-skrull-you-say-you-ve-taken-magic-well-all-right-lads-all/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) > [When Captain America died, Americans heard it in an American way: through the media. When Captain Britain died, the British felt it in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cornell/when-captain-america-died-americans-heard-it-in-an-american-way/) [Paul Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) [Explore all 33 Paul Cornell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cornell/) ## More Quiet desperation quotes > [“Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense, maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bregman/who-among-us-does-not-move-through-life-with-the-hidden-sense-maybe/) [Peter Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bregman/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-stereotyped-but-unconscious-despair-is-concealed-even-under-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Be still, and the world is bound to turn herself inside out to entertain you. Everywhere you look, joyful noise is clanging to drown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/be-still-and-the-world-is-bound-to-turn-herself-inside-out-to/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“We’re the quiet woman at the end of the third-floor hallway, whose trash is always tidy, who smiles brightly in the stairwell with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/we-re-the-quiet-woman-at-the-end-of-the-third-floor-hallway-whose/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. Or so the poet says. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stidham/most-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-and-go-to-the-grave-with-the/) [Richard Stidham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stidham/) > [Everyone's looking at me, I'm running 'round in circles, a quiet desperation's building higher, i've got to remember this is just a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/30-seconds-to-mars/everyone-s-looking-at-me-i-m-running-round-in-circles-a-quiet/) [30 Seconds To Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/30-seconds-to-mars/) > [I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-went-to-the-woods-because-i-wished-to-live-deliberately/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Any life he'd ever heard of, his own included, was burdened with emotions - love, loss, jobs, jealousy, money, death, pain. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-z-hobson/any-life-he-d-ever-heard-of-his-own-included-was-burdened-with/) [Laura Z. Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-z-hobson/) > [Human beings, as far as I can tell, seem to be divided into two subspecies -- the resigned, who live in quiet desperation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/human-beings-as-far-as-i-can-tell-seem-to-be-divided-into-two/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [I am interested in the gap between what people say and what they think - the undiscovered world of people's lives. Lives of quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eyre/i-am-interested-in-the-gap-between-what-people-say-and-what-they/) [Richard Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eyre/) > [Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/hanging-on-in-quiet-desperation-is-the-english-way/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [Studies of people who report high well-being in their fifties and sixties indicate that they have lived lives that involved personal risks. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/studies-of-people-who-report-high-well-being-in-their-fifties-and/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [One solitary God-centered, God-intoxicated man can do more to keep God's love alive and His presence felt in the world than a thousand half-hearted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/one-solitary-god-centered-god-intoxicated-man-can-do-more-to-keep-god/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) [Browse all 31 Quiet desperation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-desperation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Christopher Lassiter pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes. 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