Best friend Quote by Sarah Ockler
““You know, hon, after Stephie died, we never really talked about her." she says, her hands tight around the cart handle. "There's a lot of pain there. Still. I guess we feel like we failed her. Like maybe if we were home instead of away at college, we could've done something to fix her. Something my patents and the doctors and her boyfriend missed. Sometimes I think I don't have the right to talk about her. Like at the end, I don't know her well enough to say anything. So much of her life became secret. She spent all of her time with her boyfriend, and when she was home, her nose was buried in her diary. I swear that diary was her best friend, even more than Megan." "Did you ever read it?" I ask. "No." "Not even after she died?" Aunt Rachel shakes her head, removing an eggplant from the middle row and pressing her fingers against its flesh. "To this day, I don't know if I would've, either. We never found it, Delilah. It's like she just…took it with her.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: Untitled, 2022
A character reflects on guilt and uncertainty about speaking for a deceased friend, questioning the right to share her story.
In simple terms: Questioning the right to speak for someone who died.
Key Takeaway
Consider the impact before speaking for others.
Themes
guilt
memory
ethical storytelling
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
narrative
ethical
When to use this quote
- memorial services
- family conversations
- writing memoirs
Key Concepts
grief
responsibility
narrative ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- Who decides whose story is told?
- What responsibilities do we have to the deceased?
A Different Perspective
Speaking for the dead can misrepresent their voice.
