--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the universe was not kind to auggie…" description: "\"“the universe was not kind to auggie pullman. what did the little kid ever do to deserve his sentence? what did the parents do? or olivia? she once men..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/r-j-palacio-2789_lottery_the-universe-was-not-kind-to-auggie-pull_1070371.jpg" --- # the universe was not kind to auggie pullman. what did the… ![“the universe was not kind to auggie pullman. what did the little kid ever do to deserve his sentence? what did the parents do? or olivia? she once mentioned that some doctor told her parents that he odds of someone getting the same combination of syndromes that came together to make auggie's face…” quote by R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/r-j-palacio-2789_lottery_the-universe-was-not-kind-to-auggie-pull_1070371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/r-j-palacio-2789_lottery_the-universe-was-not-kind-to-auggie-pull_1070371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8a/r-j-palacio-2789_lottery_the-universe-was-not-kind-to-auggie-pull_1070371.jpg) > ““the universe was not kind to auggie pullman. what did the little kid ever do to deserve his sentence? what did the parents do? or olivia? she once mentioned that some doctor told her parents that he odds of someone getting the same combination of syndromes that came together to make auggie's face was like one in four million. so doesn't that make the universe a giant lottery, then? you purchase a ticket when you're born. it's all just random whether you get a good ticket or a bad ticket. it's all just luck.”” [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s outcomes feel random, like a lottery where birth determines a “ticket” of health and circumstance. **In simple terms:** Life can seem like a random lottery of luck. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and focus on compassion. Themes luck inequality randomness compassion health Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - medical counseling - support groups - education - policy making Key Concepts probability social justice existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond to perceived unfairness? - What can you control in a random world? A Different Perspective Randomness doesn’t explain systemic inequities; personal agency matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lottery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lottery/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“One of us needs to get laid." "Just one of us?" "What are the odds of both of us getting laid?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/one-of-us-needs-to-get-laid-just-one-of-us-what-are-the-odds-of-both/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [You can't just count on becoming a syndicated cartoonist. I actually tried to calculate the odds once, and the best I could come up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-pastis/you-can-t-just-count-on-becoming-a-syndicated-cartoonist-i-actually/) [Stephan Pastis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-pastis/) > [Children - not too many, too hard, too late or too soon - just as much as it should be and a universe more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-fulger/children-not-too-many-too-hard-too-late-or-too-soon-just-as-much-as/) [Mariana Fulger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-fulger/) > [I think on 'ER,' my other long-running show, I had some ideas about what's going on. 'Stargate Universe,' they were kind of secretive too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ming-na-wen/i-think-on-er-my-other-long-running-show-i-had-some-ideas-about-what/) [Ming-Na Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ming-na-wen/) > [Honestly, I don't think anyone confuses me with Wes Anderson. He's in his own terrific universe, but not the kind anyone would mistake for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/honestly-i-don-t-think-anyone-confuses-me-with-wes-anderson-he-s-in/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [“The Bat Phone to the Universe," some kind of Iva-only, open-round-the-clock special channel to the divine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-bat-phone-to-the-universe-some-kind-of-iva-only-open-round-the/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The universe is made of one kind of what-ever-it-is, which cannot be defined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thaddeus-golas/the-universe-is-made-of-one-kind-of-what-ever-it-is-which-cannot-be/) [Thaddeus Golas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thaddeus-golas/) > [I feel like J.K. Rowling's world is one that is owned by everyone in some ways. People have grown up with it and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/i-feel-like-j-k-rowling-s-world-is-one-that-is-owned-by-everyone-in/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [“so doesn't that make the universe a giant lottery, then? you purchase a ticket when you're born. and it's all just random whether you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/so-doesn-t-that-make-the-universe-a-giant-lottery-then-you-purchase-a/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“The chances of winning the lottery are approximately one in fourteen million,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-smale/the-chances-of-winning-the-lottery-are-approximately-one-in-fourteen/) [Holly Smale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-smale/) > [This is one of those work days that reminds me to play the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/this-is-one-of-those-work-days-that-reminds-me-to-play-the-lottery/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-figure-you-have-the-same-chance-of-winning-the-lottery-whether-you/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“Oh, I don’t buy lottery tickets... because if I won, and I was capable of that kind of odd luck, then I would also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissi-sepe/oh-i-don-t-buy-lottery-tickets-because-if-i-won-and-i-was-capable-of/) Chrissi Sepe > [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More by R.J. Palacio > [“I think there should be a rule that everyone should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives because they overcometh the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/i-think-there-should-be-a-rule-that-everyone-should-get-a-standing/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“And being at school was awful in the beginning. Every new class I had was like a new chance for kids to “not stare”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/and-being-at-school-was-awful-in-the-beginning-every-new-class-i-had/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“That’s when I saw Daisy sitting near my bed. I mean, I knew it wasn’t Daisy, but for a second I saw a shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/that-s-when-i-saw-daisy-sitting-near-my-bed-i-mean-i-knew-it-wasn-t/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Funny how sometimes you worry a lot about something and it turns out to be nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/funny-how-sometimes-you-worry-a-lot-about-something-and-it-turns-out/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“The first look I got of August, well, it made me want to cover my eyes and run away screaming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/the-first-look-i-got-of-august-well-it-made-me-want-to-cover-my-eyes/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“We’re kind of like Beauty and the Beast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/we-re-kind-of-like-beauty-and-the-beast/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“No, it’s okay,” I said. “Let’s just go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/no-it-s-okay-i-said-let-s-just-go/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Or, what does a poor man have, a rich man need, and you would die if you ate it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/or-what-does-a-poor-man-have-a-rich-man-need-and-you-would-die-if-you/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Sometimes when I have the feeling like I’m almost crying, it can turn into an almost-laughing feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/sometimes-when-i-have-the-feeling-like-i-m-almost-crying-it-can-turn/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“My name is August, by the way. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/my-name-is-august-by-the-way-i-won-t-describe-what-i-look-like/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Actually, I prefer not to even try to imagine it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/actually-i-prefer-not-to-even-try-to-imagine-it/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Her smile hugged me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/her-smile-hugged-me/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Here I was looking for symbolism and metaphors and um . . . sometimes a duck is just a duck!"--Mr. Tushman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/here-i-was-looking-for-symbolism-and-metaphors-and-um-sometimes-a/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Shall we make a new rule of life... always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/shall-we-make-a-new-rule-of-life-always-to-try-to-be-a-little-kinder/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“August is the Sun. Me and Mom and Dad are planets orbiting the Sun. The rest of our family and friends are asteroids and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/august-is-the-sun-me-and-mom-and-dad-are-planets-orbiting-the-sun-the/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) [Explore all 135 R.J. Palacio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) ## More Lottery quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [The state of radio is not great. It's like playing the lottery. The chances of hitting are mind boggling slim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/the-state-of-radio-is-not-great-it-s-like-playing-the-lottery-the/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [Everyone thinks they've won the Magical Belief Lottery. Everyone thinks they more or less have a handle on things, that they, as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/everyone-thinks-they-ve-won-the-magical-belief-lottery-everyone/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [True it is, as society is instituted, marriage becomes somewhat of a lottery, for all its votaries are either the victims of Cupid or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-frederick-saunders/true-it-is-as-society-is-instituted-marriage-becomes-somewhat-of-a/) [Arthur Frederick Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-frederick-saunders/) > [“One needs to go out and buy a lottery ticket in order to win. Does it mean that the work involved in the trip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/one-needs-to-go-out-and-buy-a-lottery-ticket-in-order-to-win-does-it/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Thankfully the rest of the world assumed that the Irish were crazy, a theory that the Irish themselves did nothing to debunk. They had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/thankfully-the-rest-of-the-world-assumed-that-the-irish-were-crazy-a/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [I got lucky with that first Kid Rock record thing and then just to be able to do the solo thing - and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/i-got-lucky-with-that-first-kid-rock-record-thing-and-then-just-to-be/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [I won the family lottery. I come from the best family in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-epstein/i-won-the-family-lottery-i-come-from-the-best-family-in-the-world/) [Jake Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-epstein/) > [If you don't like the idea that most of the money spent on lottery tickets supports government programs, you should know that most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-don-t-like-the-idea-that-most-of-the-money-spent-on-lottery/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [A lottery is a salutary instrument and a tax... laid on the willing only, that is to say, on those who can risk the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-lottery-is-a-salutary-instrument-and-a-tax-laid-on-the-willing-only/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We have won the time lottery of the last 4 billion years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/we-have-won-the-time-lottery-of-the-last-4-billion-years/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [The legend that matrimony is a lottery has almost ruined the lottery business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-lyall-whitehorn/the-legend-that-matrimony-is-a-lottery-has-almost-ruined-the-lottery/) Katharine Lyall Whitehorn > [Ninety percent of what's wrong with you could be cured with a hot bath, says God from the bowels of the subway. but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/ninety-percent-of-what-s-wrong-with-you-could-be-cured-with-a-hot/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) [Browse all 421 Lottery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lottery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“the universe was not kind to auggie pullman. what did the little kid ever do to deserve his sentence? what did the parents do? or olivia? she once mentioned that some doctor told her parents that he odds of someone getting the same combination of syndromes that came together to make auggie's face was like one in four million. so doesn't that make the universe a giant lottery, then? you purchase a ticket when you're born. it's all just random whether you get a good ticket or a bad ticket. it's all just luck.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.J. 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