--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It went on. Each lie I told required…" description: "\"“It went on. Each lie I told required another to thicken the paste over the previous. It was useless, like when I learned to crochet and made a long st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/ruta-sepetys-2570_tea-bag_it-went-on-each-lie-i-told-required-anot_1794226.jpg" --- # It went on. Each lie I told required another to thicken… ![“It went on. Each lie I told required another to thicken the paste over the previous. It was useless, like when I learned to crochet and made a long string of loops. Being useless builds character, Miss Paulsen had said. Perhaps she was home now, drinking a weak Earl Grey from last night’s tea bag…” quote by Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/ruta-sepetys-2570_tea-bag_it-went-on-each-lie-i-told-required-anot_1794226.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/ruta-sepetys-2570_tea-bag_it-went-on-each-lie-i-told-required-anot_1794226.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecb/ruta-sepetys-2570_tea-bag_it-went-on-each-lie-i-told-required-anot_1794226.jpg) > ““It went on. Each lie I told required another to thicken the paste over the previous. It was useless, like when I learned to crochet and made a long string of loops. Being useless builds character, Miss Paulsen had said. Perhaps she was home now, drinking a weak Earl Grey from last night’s tea bag, massaging her taffied scalp.”” [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shows how lying compounds, creating a tangled web that becomes meaningless, yet suggests that uselessness can build character. **In simple terms:** Lies pile up, becoming useless. Key Takeaway Avoid lies; accept their futility. Themes integrity consequences character building Mood cautious analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - writing - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology ethics narrative structure Questions to Reflect On - Why do we cling to useless habits? - Can uselessness truly build character? A Different Perspective May overstate the value of “useless” experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lie Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-told/) [Miss Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miss-paulsen-1973014/) [Paulsen Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paulsen-said-1973012/) [Required Thicken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/required-thicken-1973013/) [Tea bag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea-bag/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Went Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-lie-1973011/) ## Related quotes > [BOOM! went the lie CRACK! went my heart DROP!... down the tear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boom-went-the-lie-crack-went-my-heart-drop-down-the-tear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I drink just as much tea when I'm in Los Angeles as I do when I'm in London. I take my tea bags with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-drink-just-as-much-tea-when-i-m-in-los-angeles-as-i-do-when-i-m-in/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [You'll see a consistent, like the tea, the tea bags you saw there-you'll see a consistent-did you see the cafeteria? I mean the diner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/you-ll-see-a-consistent-like-the-tea-the-tea-bags-you-saw-there-you/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [To get rid of swelling... I put green tea bags on my eyelids. Or I grab cold spoons that I leave in the freezer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/to-get-rid-of-swelling-i-put-green-tea-bags-on-my-eyelids-or-i-grab/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [“YO MAMA SO SKINNY... Yo mama so skinny she hula hoops with a cheerio. Yo mama so skinny she can grate cheese on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-franken/yo-mama-so-skinny-yo-mama-so-skinny-she-hula-hoops-with-a-cheerio-yo/) [Jess Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-franken/) > [I hire tea by the tea bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-hire-tea-by-the-tea-bag/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“The people we choose not to forgive will move one. 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I want to face them!” Regin stood and brandished one of the two swords that she usually wore in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-hope-they-re-in-town-i-want-to-face-them-regin-stood-and-brandished/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [a women is like a tea bag.it's only when she is in hot water that you realize how strong she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-women-is-like-a-tea-bag-it-s-only-when-she-is-in-hot-water-that-you/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I wanted to feel at home so I've brought Yorkshire Tea Bags in my suitcase, as well as my slippers!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-keegan/i-wanted-to-feel-at-home-so-i-ve-brought-yorkshire-tea-bags-in-my/) [Michelle Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-keegan/) ## More by Ruta Sepetys > [“I didn’t agree with Cokie. It wasn’t just rich folks. Mother was soul broke, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/i-didn-t-agree-with-cokie-it-wasn-t-just-rich-folks-mother-was-soul/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“What if this is a horrible mistake?" I croaked. "Oh, it'll be horrible fine, just a bunch of pretentious rich people with shelves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/what-if-this-is-a-horrible-mistake-i-croaked-oh-it-ll-be-horrible/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“There was no ‘Miss Woodley.’ There was Willie. Willie was about life, and she grabbed it by the balls. Y’all know that. She loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/there-was-no-miss-woodley-there-was-willie-willie-was-about-life-and/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“The fact that Cincinnati thought I resembled him in any way sickened me. It made me want to run and hide. 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But those who are gone are not necessarily lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/war-is-catastrophe-it-breaks-families-in-irretrievable-pieces-but/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [I wasn't certain of anything anymore, except that New Orleans was a faithless friend and I wanted to leave her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/i-wasn-t-certain-of-anything-anymore-except-that-new-orleans-was-a/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“Andrius turned. His eyes found mine. "I'll see you," he said. My face didn't wrinkle. I didn't utter a sound. But for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/andrius-turned-his-eyes-found-mine-i-ll-see-you-he-said-my-face-didn/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after fifty years of brutal occupation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/some-wars-are-about-bombing-for-the-people-of-the-baltics-this-war/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“I don't want to see no dead body. Willie ain't in there. She put her walkin' shoes on. She gone to see the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/i-don-t-want-to-see-no-dead-body-willie-ain-t-in-there-she-put-her/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“They drink like fish and ask the most probing questions." "Welcome to the South." Patrick laughed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/they-drink-like-fish-and-ask-the-most-probing-questions-welcome-to/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [“That’s a good hustle,” I told him. “We both got a little hustle, don’t we?” He pulled on his jacket. “But I like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/that-s-a-good-hustle-i-told-him-we-both-got-a-little-hustle-don-t-we/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Andrius, I'm...scared." He stopped and turned to me. "No. Don't be scared. Don't give them anything Lina, not even your fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/andrius-i-m-scared-he-stopped-and-turned-to-me-no-don-t-be-scared-don/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Sometimes there is such beauty in awkwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/sometimes-there-is-such-beauty-in-awkwardness/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/have-you-ever-wondered-what-a-human-life-is-worth-that-morning-my/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) [Explore all 155 Ruta Sepetys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) ## More Tea bag quotes > [I wanted to feel at home so I've brought Yorkshire Tea Bags in my suitcase, as well as my slippers!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-keegan/i-wanted-to-feel-at-home-so-i-ve-brought-yorkshire-tea-bags-in-my/) [Michelle Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-keegan/) > [a women is like a tea bag.it's only when she is in hot water that you realize how strong she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-women-is-like-a-tea-bag-it-s-only-when-she-is-in-hot-water-that-you/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [“I hope they're in town. I want to face them!” Regin stood and brandished one of the two swords that she usually wore in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-hope-they-re-in-town-i-want-to-face-them-regin-stood-and-brandished/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“We are like tea bags - we do not know man lying on sidewalk as people pass by our own strength until we're hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-busche/we-are-like-tea-bags-we-do-not-know-man-lying-on-sidewalk-as-people/) [Sister Busche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sister-busche/) > [“I explained to him - as I withdrew the cup, ripped open the sachet and dunked the tea bag - that tea was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/i-explained-to-him-as-i-withdrew-the-cup-ripped-open-the-sachet-and/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [A woman is like a tea bag. She only knows her strength when put in hot water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-woman-is-like-a-tea-bag-she-only-knows-her-strength-when-put-in-hot/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [Taylor gang or tea bag a mouse trap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-gang/taylor-gang-or-tea-bag-a-mouse-trap/) [Taylor Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-gang/) > [A Man is like a tea bag- you never know how strong he is until he gets in hot water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-is-like-a-tea-bag-you-never-know-how-strong-he-is-until-he-gets/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The people we choose not to forgive will move one. They'll get over it. meanwhile the person who refuses to forgive is like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-grey/the-people-we-choose-not-to-forgive-will-move-one-they-ll-get-over-it/) [marilyn grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-grey/) > [I hire tea by the tea bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-hire-tea-by-the-tea-bag/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“YO MAMA SO SKINNY... Yo mama so skinny she hula hoops with a cheerio. Yo mama so skinny she can grate cheese on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-franken/yo-mama-so-skinny-yo-mama-so-skinny-she-hula-hoops-with-a-cheerio-yo/) [Jess Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-franken/) > [To get rid of swelling... I put green tea bags on my eyelids. Or I grab cold spoons that I leave in the freezer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/to-get-rid-of-swelling-i-put-green-tea-bags-on-my-eyelids-or-i-grab/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [You'll see a consistent, like the tea, the tea bags you saw there-you'll see a consistent-did you see the cafeteria? I mean the diner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/you-ll-see-a-consistent-like-the-tea-the-tea-bags-you-saw-there-you/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I drink just as much tea when I'm in Los Angeles as I do when I'm in London. I take my tea bags with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-drink-just-as-much-tea-when-i-m-in-los-angeles-as-i-do-when-i-m-in/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water but being a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/a-woman-is-like-a-tea-bag-you-never-know-how-strong-it-is-until-it-s/) [Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/) [Browse all 56 Tea bag quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea-bag/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It went on. Each lie I told required another to thicken the paste over the previous. It was useless, like when I learned to crochet and made a long string of loops. Being useless builds character, Miss Paulsen had said. 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