--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But when mother died, Caroline was…" description: "\"“But when mother died, Caroline was twelve, and in that queer time between childhood and nubile girlhood, when some girls seem to be wise without exper..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg" --- # But when mother died, Caroline was twelve, and in that… ![“But when mother died, Caroline was twelve, and in that queer time between childhood and nubile girlhood, when some girls seem to be wise without experience, and perhaps more clear-headed then they will be again until after their menopause.” quote by Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg) > ““But when mother died, Caroline was twelve, and in that queer time between childhood and nubile girlhood, when some girls seem to be wise without experience, and perhaps more clear-headed then they will be again until after their menopause.”” [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young girl navigates the confusing transition from childhood to adulthood, feeling prematurely wise yet still inexperienced. **In simple terms:** A girl feels wise before gaining experience. Key Takeaway Embrace growth, recognize limits of early confidence. Themes cominghood wisdom identity menopause Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - Family dynamics - personal growth - adolescent self‑esteem Key Concepts Psychology developmental stages Questions to Reflect On - How does premature wisdom affect decision‑making? - What role does later life play in self‑understanding? A Different Perspective Early confidence may mask deeper insecurities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Girls be wise, men ll love twice… But if u act as a bitch so men gonna ditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arick/girls-be-wise-men-ll-love-twice-but-if-u-act-as-a-bitch-so-men-gonna/) [Arick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arick/) > [“But here are wine and beautiful young girls, Be wise and hide your sorrows in their curls, Dive as you will in life’s mysterious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/but-here-are-wine-and-beautiful-young-girls-be-wise-and-hide-your/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Caroline, beside herself, dragged me down to her, her breast was against mine, and by a circular movement seemed to caress it. The pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/caroline-beside-herself-dragged-me-down-to-her-her-breast-was-against/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Matthew gave her such a hurt, wistful, nobly forbearing, and absolutely infuriating look that if Caroline had been a rich aunt she would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/matthew-gave-her-such-a-hurt-wistful-nobly-forbearing-and-absolutely/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) > [“I can’t conceive of what you could possibly want from me, Lord Drake,” Caroline said crisply. “However, I can assure you that you won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-can-t-conceive-of-what-you-could-possibly-want-from-me-lord-drake/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Caroline had felt more comfortable thinking of beauty as something separate from her, like a scarf or a coat you could check before going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-bauermeister/caroline-had-felt-more-comfortable-thinking-of-beauty-as-something/) [Erica Bauermeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-bauermeister/) > [“I'm not that girl who randomly meets a guy one night and has her life change. I wear cords and flannel shirts. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-m-not-that-girl-who-randomly-meets-a-guy-one-night-and-has-her-life/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [Caroline was always moody and miserable, but I liked it. I liked feeling as if she had chosen me as the only person in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/caroline-was-always-moody-and-miserable-but-i-liked-it-i-liked/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Not one person has ever sent me a drink because I was Caroline in 'Nick and Norah.' People reference it; people say really nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/not-one-person-has-ever-sent-me-a-drink-because-i-was-caroline-in/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [“How many miles had they come? Less than halfway, and already Caroline had the sense that a separation such as this could put more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-miller/how-many-miles-had-they-come-less-than-halfway-and-already-caroline/) [Sarah Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-miller/) > [“I turned to kiss his fingertips. He stared into my eyes again, those sex sapphires doing their voodoo that made me a puddle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-clayton/i-turned-to-kiss-his-fingertips-he-stared-into-my-eyes-again-those/) [Alice Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-clayton/) > [I would enjoy seeing anyone else sing 'Caroline Shut Up.' That would be interesting. I would give that one away, actually, which is funny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-would-enjoy-seeing-anyone-else-sing-caroline-shut-up-that-would-be/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [“she could begin again and not become so entangled in this long, horrible war, would she watch from the sidelines as a spectator this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-austin/she-could-begin-again-and-not-become-so-entangled-in-this-long/) [Lynn Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-austin/) > [“I must try to be charitable, Caroline thought: probably she doesn't mean to sound as if she is continually translating from Latin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/i-must-try-to-be-charitable-caroline-thought-probably-she-doesn-t/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) > [Very good in the Back to the Future movies, but was born to play Caroline in the City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-thompson/very-good-in-the-back-to-the-future-movies-but-was-born-to-play/) [Lea Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-thompson/) ## More by Robertson Davies > [“...the irrational will have its say, perhaps because 'irrational' is the wrong word for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-irrational-will-have-its-say-perhaps-because-irrational-is-the/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [If you're going to do something that looks evil, don't smear it with icing and pretend it's good; just bloody well do it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-you-re-going-to-do-something-that-looks-evil-don-t-smear-it-with/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/extraordinary-people-survive-under-the-most-terrible-circumstances/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/although-there-may-be-nothing-new-under-the-sun-what-is-old-is-new-to/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [If I had to describe my remarks this evening frankly as if I were in police court and on oath, so to speak I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-i-had-to-describe-my-remarks-this-evening-frankly-as-if-i-were-in/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The people of the United States, perhaps more than any other nation in history, love to abase themselves and proclaim their unworthiness, and seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-people-of-the-united-states-perhaps-more-than-any-other-nation-in/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [I don't suppose God laughs at the people who think He doesn't exist. He's above jokes. But the devil isn't. That's one of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/i-don-t-suppose-god-laughs-at-the-people-who-think-he-doesn-t-exist/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Inactivity and deprivation of all accustomed stimulus is not rest; it is a preparation for the tomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/inactivity-and-deprivation-of-all-accustomed-stimulus-is-not-rest-it/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [“My lifelong involvement with Mrs Dempster began at 5:58 o'clock p.m. on 27 December 1908, at which time I was ten years and seven months old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/my-lifelong-involvement-with-mrs-dempster-began-at-5-58-o-clock-p-m/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [The art of the quoter is to know when to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-art-of-the-quoter-is-to-know-when-to-stop/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [There can be no doubt that Samuel Marchbanks is one of the choice and master spirits of this age. If there were such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/there-can-be-no-doubt-that-samuel-marchbanks-is-one-of-the-choice-and/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Nobody who looks as though he enjoyed life is ever called distinguished, though he is a man in a million.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/nobody-who-looks-as-though-he-enjoyed-life-is-ever-called/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [They're all so highly educated, you know. Education is a great shield against experience. It offers so much, ready-made and all from the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/they-re-all-so-highly-educated-you-know-education-is-a-great-shield/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Students today are a pretty solemn lot. One of the really notable achievements of the twentieth century has been to make the young old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/students-today-are-a-pretty-solemn-lot-one-of-the-really-notable/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) [Explore all 357 Robertson Davies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) ## More Caroline quotes > [Very good in the Back to the Future movies, but was born to play Caroline in the City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-thompson/very-good-in-the-back-to-the-future-movies-but-was-born-to-play/) [Lea Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-thompson/) > [“I must try to be charitable, Caroline thought: probably she doesn't mean to sound as if she is continually translating from Latin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/i-must-try-to-be-charitable-caroline-thought-probably-she-doesn-t/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) > [“she could begin again and not become so entangled in this long, horrible war, would she watch from the sidelines as a spectator this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-austin/she-could-begin-again-and-not-become-so-entangled-in-this-long/) [Lynn Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-austin/) > [I would enjoy seeing anyone else sing 'Caroline Shut Up.' That would be interesting. I would give that one away, actually, which is funny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-would-enjoy-seeing-anyone-else-sing-caroline-shut-up-that-would-be/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [“I turned to kiss his fingertips. He stared into my eyes again, those sex sapphires doing their voodoo that made me a puddle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-clayton/i-turned-to-kiss-his-fingertips-he-stared-into-my-eyes-again-those/) [Alice Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-clayton/) > [“How many miles had they come? Less than halfway, and already Caroline had the sense that a separation such as this could put more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-miller/how-many-miles-had-they-come-less-than-halfway-and-already-caroline/) [Sarah Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-miller/) > [Not one person has ever sent me a drink because I was Caroline in 'Nick and Norah.' People reference it; people say really nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/not-one-person-has-ever-sent-me-a-drink-because-i-was-caroline-in/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Caroline was always moody and miserable, but I liked it. I liked feeling as if she had chosen me as the only person in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/caroline-was-always-moody-and-miserable-but-i-liked-it-i-liked/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I'm not that girl who randomly meets a guy one night and has her life change. I wear cords and flannel shirts. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-m-not-that-girl-who-randomly-meets-a-guy-one-night-and-has-her-life/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [“Caroline had felt more comfortable thinking of beauty as something separate from her, like a scarf or a coat you could check before going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-bauermeister/caroline-had-felt-more-comfortable-thinking-of-beauty-as-something/) [Erica Bauermeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-bauermeister/) > [“I can’t conceive of what you could possibly want from me, Lord Drake,” Caroline said crisply. “However, I can assure you that you won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-can-t-conceive-of-what-you-could-possibly-want-from-me-lord-drake/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Matthew gave her such a hurt, wistful, nobly forbearing, and absolutely infuriating look that if Caroline had been a rich aunt she would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/matthew-gave-her-such-a-hurt-wistful-nobly-forbearing-and-absolutely/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) > [“Caroline, beside herself, dragged me down to her, her breast was against mine, and by a circular movement seemed to caress it. The pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/caroline-beside-herself-dragged-me-down-to-her-her-breast-was-against/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I read more and more and I came across this character, Caroline Weldon. Sometimes in history, you find these people that no one would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/i-read-more-and-more-and-i-came-across-this-character-caroline-weldon/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [“No one was more curious and excited about other cultures and peoples than Caroline. She sometimes still remembered facts about cultures, ancient secrets and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-underwood/no-one-was-more-curious-and-excited-about-other-cultures-and-peoples/) [Bobby Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-underwood/) Browse all 71 Caroline quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But when mother died, Caroline was twelve, and in that queer time between childhood and nubile girlhood, when some girls seem to be wise without experience, and perhaps more clear-headed then they will be again until after their menopause.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robertson Davies" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve-and-in-that-queer-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Caroline" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve-and-in-that-queer-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/robertson-davies-834_caroline_but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve_577728.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But when mother died, Caroline was twelve, and in that queer time between childhood and nubile girlhood…” — Robertson Davies", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robertson Davies", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But when mother died, Caroline was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve-and-in-that-queer-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/but-when-mother-died-caroline-was-twelve-and-in-that-queer-time/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```