--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some of the choices teenagers make are…" description: "\"“Some of the choices teenagers make are morally and practically wrong. Some of my characters do things I hope my child won't. There are occasionally wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b7/rachel-vail-23282_censorship_some-of-the-choices-teenagers-make-are-m_538773.png" --- # Some of the choices teenagers make are morally and… ![“Some of the choices teenagers make are morally and practically wrong. Some of my characters do things I hope my child won't. There are occasionally words my characters choose that I wouldn't utter in my mother's presence. But when I was sixteen, or twelve, hanging out with my friends? That was…” quote by Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b7/rachel-vail-23282_censorship_some-of-the-choices-teenagers-make-are-m_538773.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b7/rachel-vail-23282_censorship_some-of-the-choices-teenagers-make-are-m_538773.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b7/rachel-vail-23282_censorship_some-of-the-choices-teenagers-make-are-m_538773.png) > ““Some of the choices teenagers make are morally and practically wrong. Some of my characters do things I hope my child won't. There are occasionally words my characters choose that I wouldn't utter in my mother's presence. But when I was sixteen, or twelve, hanging out with my friends? That was different. For a story to feel real, I have to respect what a character would really do or say.”” [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writers must let characters act authentically, even if their choices are flawed, to create believable stories. **In simple terms:** Characters should act true to themselves, even when wrong. Key Takeaway Honor character realism over moral comfort. Themes authenticity character development ethical ambiguity Mood reflective serious thoughtful Type advice literary When to use this quote - writing workshops - novel drafting - screenwriting - character analysis Key Concepts narrative truth moral complexity psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance character truth with personal values? - When should a writer intervene in a character's immoral actions? A Different Perspective Realism can conflict with audience expectations for moral clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [Teenagers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenagers/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [So the characters that I choose, I like to make sure that they have depth and that they have some sort of bite. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-matarazzo/so-the-characters-that-i-choose-i-like-to-make-sure-that-they-have/) [Heather Matarazzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-matarazzo/) > [I've always been incredibly crazy about the fact that I'd have any fans at all. It says to me that the characters that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mitchell/i-ve-always-been-incredibly-crazy-about-the-fact-that-i-d-have-any/) [Elizabeth Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mitchell/) > [Acting is an art that I am learning on the job. The thing that I can do on my part is to follow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-malhotra/acting-is-an-art-that-i-am-learning-on-the-job-the-thing-that-i-can/) [Sanya Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-malhotra/) > [I don't think about the characters I choose to play, analytically or consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/i-don-t-think-about-the-characters-i-choose-to-play-analytically-or/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [I have tried to maintain the variety in the characters I choose to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/i-have-tried-to-maintain-the-variety-in-the-characters-i-choose-to/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [To what extent does anybody control his destiny? Life is very much like falling of the edge of a cliff. You have complete freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/to-what-extent-does-anybody-control-his-destiny-life-is-very-much/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [It's very rare that Black actors get an opportunity to do period pieces and to have a breadth of characters to choose from in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-yoba/it-s-very-rare-that-black-actors-get-an-opportunity-to-do-period/) [Malik Yoba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-yoba/) > [The way I saw the characters these things just happened naturally. At the same time - and I know it's probably not apparent when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/the-way-i-saw-the-characters-these-things-just-happened-naturally-at/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Adult characters are all the things they've encountered over time. But kids haven't accumulated all the life experience, all the regrets. They tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/adult-characters-are-all-the-things-they-ve-encountered-over-time-but/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [The initial spark, your affection for the characters, all those things can disappear. It's a perilous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-initial-spark-your-affection-for-the-characters-all-those-things/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [No novel is a clone of any preceding one, though with a background cast of characters and things that has grown to thousands, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/no-novel-is-a-clone-of-any-preceding-one-though-with-a-background/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [This medium that we're working in - film and television - for an audience, it's like you live through these characters because it's things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/this-medium-that-we-re-working-in-film-and-television-for-an-audience/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [I think people are a mixture of everything. I like desperate characters because they do things that most of us normally wouldn't do. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-shepard/i-think-people-are-a-mixture-of-everything-i-like-desperate/) [Richard Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-shepard/) > [One of my biggest pet peeves is that I just don't like it when characters do things that are funny to the writer, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-howerton/one-of-my-biggest-pet-peeves-is-that-i-just-don-t-like-it-when/) [Glenn Howerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-howerton/) > [One of the things that I've been trying to do with my characters, one of the things that does lead to me turning things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moyer/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-been-trying-to-do-with-my-characters-one/) [Stephen Moyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moyer/) ## More by Rachel Vail > [“I dont care who kissed you first as long as I kiss you last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-dont-care-who-kissed-you-first-as-long-as-i-kiss-you-last/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [Great point made in son's college orientation re sex/safety/respect/etc: 'Consent is really too low a bar. Hold out for enthusiasm.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/great-point-made-in-son-s-college-orientation-re-sex-safety-respect/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“I am a pacifist, danm it! And now I'm bleeding. What is wrong with you, you sick sicko?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-am-a-pacifist-danm-it-and-now-i-m-bleeding-what-is-wrong-with-you/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“Bruises on the soul hurt even more than bruises on the leg and take longer to heal. Maybe the trick is to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/bruises-on-the-soul-hurt-even-more-than-bruises-on-the-leg-and-take/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“Sometimes sluttiness is a sign of intense longing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/sometimes-sluttiness-is-a-sign-of-intense-longing/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“Do you think we're being robbed?" I whispered. He nodded gravely, then crawled over to my closet and opened it. "Did you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/do-you-think-we-re-being-robbed-i-whispered-he-nodded-gravely-then/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [I shoved him off the snowmobile. He landed on his back in the snow. "Love is a brat, you think? No, love id fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-shoved-him-off-the-snowmobile-he-landed-on-his-back-in-the-snow/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [I smashed his hand as hard as I could with the Wiffle bat. "Ow!" he screamed. Carson was rubbing his red palm, inspecting it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-smashed-his-hand-as-hard-as-i-could-with-the-wiffle-bat-ow-he/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [I have standards. Well, okay, they're love standards, but I have them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-have-standards-well-okay-they-re-love-standards-but-i-have-them/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“I don't care who kissed you first, as long as I kissed you last - George (If we kiss)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-don-t-care-who-kissed-you-first-as-long-as-i-kissed-you-last-george/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [Kids are constantly evolving, learning, and growing. They aren’t who they were yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/kids-are-constantly-evolving-learning-and-growing-they-aren-t-who/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [I keep looking for ultimate answers, but maybe there aren't any or maybe I'm not looking in the right places, because in the section…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/i-keep-looking-for-ultimate-answers-but-maybe-there-aren-t-any-or/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“Just for taste bites of sample bagels have - fun fact - between zero and "screw you" calories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/just-for-taste-bites-of-sample-bagels-have-fun-fact-between-zero-and/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“Love makes us stupid, sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/love-makes-us-stupid-sometimes/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) > [“It's just one of those things, like some people don't sink when they go in the pool, some know how to throw a ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vail/it-s-just-one-of-those-things-like-some-people-don-t-sink-when-they/) [Rachel Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) [Explore all 26 Rachel Vail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vail/) ## More Censorship quotes > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“Censors don’t want children exposed to ideas different from their own. If every individual with an agenda had his/her way, the shelves in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/censors-don-t-want-children-exposed-to-ideas-different-from-their-own/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I don't believe in censorship in any form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-in-any-form/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When there is official censorship it is a sign that speech is serious. Where there is none, it is pretty certain that the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-there-is-official-censorship-it-is-a-sign-that-speech-is-serious/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“I agree that it's a shame some books have to suffer ratings that clearly are invalid. However I can't think of a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-y-chandler/i-agree-that-it-s-a-shame-some-books-have-to-suffer-ratings-that/) Otis Y. Chandler > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [Art made tongue-tied by authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/art-made-tongue-tied-by-authority/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The tendency to want what has been banned and therefore to presume that it is more worthwhile is not limited to such commodities as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-cialdini/the-tendency-to-want-what-has-been-banned-and-therefore-to-presume/) [Robert B. Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [The only thing that is obscene is censorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-is-obscene-is-censorship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/in-a-feature-film-the-question-of-censorship-always-comes-up/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) [Browse all 884 Censorship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Some of the choices teenagers make are morally and practically wrong. Some of my characters do things I hope my child won't. There are occasionally words my characters choose that I wouldn't utter in my mother's presence. But when I was sixteen, or twelve, hanging out with my friends? That was different. 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