--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's how I knew, for example, that…" description: "\"“That's how I knew, for example, that Private Seamus Fletcher, 45B-76423, was beating his wife and children every night.”\" — Tahereh Mafi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png" --- # That's how I knew, for example, that Private Seamus… ![“That's how I knew, for example, that Private Seamus Fletcher, 45B-76423, was beating his wife and children every night.” quote by Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png) > ““That's how I knew, for example, that Private Seamus Fletcher, 45B-76423, was beating his wife and children every night.”” [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A revelation of abuse shows hidden darkness in ordinary life. **In simple terms:** Abuse can be hidden in normal settings. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant, protect the vulnerable. Themes abuse justice truth awareness Mood urgent empathetic Type advocacy reflective When to use this quote - family counseling - law enforcement - community outreach - education programs Key Concepts psychology social work Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize subtle signs of abuse? - What steps can you take to support victims? A Different Perspective Denial and fear often conceal abuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fletcher/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [“I looked at the sky with its patchwork of sun and storm clouds—the devil must be beating his wife indeed. I bet I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-johnson/i-looked-at-the-sky-with-its-patchwork-of-sun-and-storm-clouds-the/) [Craig Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-johnson/) > [“When the sun is showing and there is a storm in patches of the sky, the devil is said to beating his wife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-khristin-brown/when-the-sun-is-showing-and-there-is-a-storm-in-patches-of-the-sky/) [Angela Khristin Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-khristin-brown/) > [To tell about a drunken muzhik's beating his wife is incomparably harder than to compose a whole tract about the 'woman question.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-turgenev/to-tell-about-a-drunken-muzhik-s-beating-his-wife-is-incomparably/) [Ivan Turgenev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-turgenev/) > [Fletcher Moss was where it started for me and a lot of other players as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-welbeck/fletcher-moss-was-where-it-started-for-me-and-a-lot-of-other-players/) [Danny Welbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-welbeck/) > [“Fletcherism. The U.S. Army Medical Department issued formal instructions for a “Method of Attaining Economic Assimilation of Nutriment”—aka the Fletcher system. (“Masticate all solid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/fletcherism-the-u-s-army-medical-department-issued-formal/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [I can't understand why people in Scotland rave about Darren Fletcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-keane/i-can-t-understand-why-people-in-scotland-rave-about-darren-fletcher/) [Roy Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-keane/) > [“It is their usual reaction; they employ not words and reasoned conversation or discourse to resolve problems, but the truncheon, the jackbooted foot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-s-fletcher/it-is-their-usual-reaction-they-employ-not-words-and-reasoned/) [Daniel S. Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-s-fletcher/) > [“It’s all very Greek, isn’t it?” I quipped. “Prophecies, tragedies, destinies. Just like in all those old mythology books we read over the years.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/it-s-all-very-greek-isn-t-it-i-quipped-prophecies-tragedies-destinies/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [“You don’t need me any longer. You need to keep finding yourself, a little more each day, that real, unlimited Fletcher Seagull. He’s your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-don-t-need-me-any-longer-you-need-to-keep-finding-yourself-a/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“No Fletcher. Wake up, boy. Those are the flames of Hell. Dermont dropped out of school, so that's where he's headed. See the little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/no-fletcher-wake-up-boy-those-are-the-flames-of-hell-dermont-dropped/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Like everything else, Fletcher. Practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/like-everything-else-fletcher-practice/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Are you going to distract me by playing footsie?" "Absolutely, princess," he says with a wink. "Then I won't remember a thing." "It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/are-you-going-to-distract-me-by-playing-footsie-absolutely-princess/) [Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/) > [“Lord Foulgrin: "You must not let him see Charis as a place of learning, exploration, duties, travel, companionship, banquets, celebrations, and productive work. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/lord-foulgrin-you-must-not-let-him-see-charis-as-a-place-of-learning/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“I'm going to teach you to ride Princess." "Princess?" "My motorcycle." I laugh. "You named your motorcycle Princess?" "What can I say?" he teases.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/i-m-going-to-teach-you-to-ride-princess-princess-my-motorcycle-i/) [Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/) > [“Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/oh-i-m-going-to-kill-mundungus-fletcher/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) ## More by Tahereh Mafi > [His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/his-hands-are-holding-my-cheeks-and-he-pulls-back-just-to-look-me-in/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I didn't want the clothes or the perfect shoes or the expensive anything. I didn't want to be draped in silk. All I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-didn-t-want-the-clothes-or-the-perfect-shoes-or-the-expensive/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“infinite points of feeling for every nerve ending in my body”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/infinite-points-of-feeling-for-every-nerve-ending-in-my-body/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“He's too much. Everything about him is too much. His emotions, his actions, his anger, his aggression. His love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/he-s-too-much-everything-about-him-is-too-much-his-emotions-his/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Right now I can't even control my own imagination as it grips my hair and drags me into the dark”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/right-now-i-can-t-even-control-my-own-imagination-as-it-grips-my-hair/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I want you, I want all of you. I want you inside and out and catching your breath and aching for me like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-want-you-i-want-all-of-you-i-want-you-inside-and-out-and-catching/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I will give no one the satisfaction of my death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-will-give-no-one-the-satisfaction-of-my-death/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I almost forget that she still hates me, despite how hard I’ve fallen for her. And I’ve fallen. So hard. I’ve hit the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-almost-forget-that-she-still-hates-me-despite-how-hard-i-ve-fallen/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/all-i-ever-wanted-was-to-reach-out-and-touch-another-human-being-not/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“It's the kind of kiss that makes you realize oxygen is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/it-s-the-kind-of-kiss-that-makes-you-realize-oxygen-is-overrated/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“That’s when I understand. Of course she’s not okay. Of course she didn’t get any sleep last night. Last night she almost killed one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-when-i-understand-of-course-she-s-not-okay-of-course-she-didn/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I used to have a family. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-used-to-have-a-family-he/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I've never been able to follow through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-ve-never-been-able-to-follow-through/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“ground where it smells like ice and metal and dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/ground-where-it-smells-like-ice-and-metal-and-dirt/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) [Explore all 821 Tahereh Mafi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That's how I knew, for example, that Private Seamus Fletcher, 45B-76423, was beating his wife and children every night.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tahereh Mafi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-private-seamus-fletcher-45b-76423/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-private-seamus-fletcher-45b-76423/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f7/tahereh-mafi-229_children_that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-priva_289654.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's how I knew, for example, that Private Seamus Fletcher, 45B-76423, was beating his wife and children…” — Tahereh Mafi", "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": "Tahereh Mafi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That's how I knew, for example,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-private-seamus-fletcher-45b-76423/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-how-i-knew-for-example-that-private-seamus-fletcher-45b-76423/#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 } } ] } ```