--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You think that because I am unwanted…" description: "\"“You think that because I am unwanted, because I am neglected and-and discarded-\" My voice inches higher with every word, the unrestrained emotions sud..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/tahereh-mafi-229_dystopian-fiction_you-think-that-because-i-am-unwanted-bec_2685703.png" --- # You think that because I am unwanted, because I am… ![“You think that because I am unwanted, because I am neglected and-and discarded-" My voice inches higher with every word, the unrestrained emotions suddenly screaming through my lungs. "You think I don't have a heart? You think I don't feel? You think that because I can inflict pain, that I should?…” quote by Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/tahereh-mafi-229_dystopian-fiction_you-think-that-because-i-am-unwanted-bec_2685703.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/tahereh-mafi-229_dystopian-fiction_you-think-that-because-i-am-unwanted-bec_2685703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/tahereh-mafi-229_dystopian-fiction_you-think-that-because-i-am-unwanted-bec_2685703.png) > ““You think that because I am unwanted, because I am neglected and-and discarded-" My voice inches higher with every word, the unrestrained emotions suddenly screaming through my lungs. "You think I don't have a heart? You think I don't feel? You think that because I can inflict pain, that I should? You're just like everyone else. You think I'm a monster just like everyone else. You don't understand me at all.”” [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. The speaker confronts being labeled a monster, demanding empathy and recognition of humanity despite pain inflicted. **In simple terms:** Being called a monster hurts; we all feel pain. Key Takeaway Demand empathy, reject dehumanization. Themes identity empathy misunderstanding pain humanity Mood frustrated defensive hopeful Type personal emotional When to use this quote - conflict resolution - mental health support - personal relationships - advocacy Key Concepts psychology social stigma self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - How can we see humanity in those we label as monsters? - What steps can we take to foster empathy? A Different Perspective The speaker’s anger may obscure constructive dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dystopian fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dystopian-fiction/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions Suddenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-suddenly-2617201/) [Sci fi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sci-fi/) [Teen-fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teen-fiction/) [Think Unwanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-unwanted-1787367/) [Unrestrained Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unrestrained-emotions-2617202/) [Unwanted Neglected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unwanted-neglected-2617203/) ## Related quotes > [“I have a curse. I HAVE A GIFT. I'm a monster. I'M MORE THAN HUMAN. My touch Is lethal. MY TOUCH IS POWER. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-have-a-curse-i-have-a-gift-i-m-a-monster-i-m-more-than-human-my/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I felt someone behind me. I stopped and looked back... There was Mom, crawling behind me, without saying anything... Her tears falling to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aya-kito/i-felt-someone-behind-me-i-stopped-and-looked-back-there-was-mom/) [Aya Kito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aya-kito/) > [Thinking about the heartbreaking number of young children around the world who think they are unwanted and are uncared for can easily keep you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-march/thinking-about-the-heartbreaking-number-of-young-children-around-the/) [Stephanie March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-march/) > [I hate being alone. Cause it gives me time to think about my unwanted problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-alone-cause-it-gives-me-time-to-think-about-my-unwanted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For a moment nothing happens. The figure stands still and I stand cold and alive and- He starts to run. I make my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/for-a-moment-nothing-happens-the-figure-stands-still-and-i-stand-cold/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Two little dark figures, looking up. Are they looking at me? Is is him? This far away there's only one way to know. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/two-little-dark-figures-looking-up-are-they-looking-at-me-is-is-him/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“How do you bear it?" Finnick looks at me in disbelief. "I don't, Katniss! Obviously, I don't. I drag myself out of nightmares each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/how-do-you-bear-it-finnick-looks-at-me-in-disbelief-i-don-t-katniss/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“The law isn't merciful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-campbell-beatty/the-law-isn-t-merciful/) [Cate Campbell Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-campbell-beatty/) > [“Fantastic,” I said without an ounce of enthusiasm. “I’m just one more embarrassing confession away from taking over the world.” --Spencer Nye”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-letts/fantastic-i-said-without-an-ounce-of-enthusiasm-i-m-just-one-more/) [Jason Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-letts/) > [“I lived in an enclave in which our oldest had seen twenty-five years. His face was withered, and his fingers shook when he attempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/i-lived-in-an-enclave-in-which-our-oldest-had-seen-twenty-five-years/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [“Their conversation ceased abruptly with the entry of an oddly-shaped man whose body resembled a certain vegetable. He was a thickset fellow with calloused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-phillips/their-conversation-ceased-abruptly-with-the-entry-of-an-oddly-shaped/) [Jeff Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-phillips/) > [Writers of feminist dystopian fiction are alert to the realities that grind down women's lives, that make the unthinkable suddenly thinkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/writers-of-feminist-dystopian-fiction-are-alert-to-the-realities-that/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [“David tears a chocolate chip cookie in half. “Want some?” He holds a piece out to me. The chocolate glistens, and the brown-buttery inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/david-tears-a-chocolate-chip-cookie-in-half-want-some-he-holds-a/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) > [“They were here from the beginning. They have reshaped our lives, run us from our homes. They were always here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/they-were-here-from-the-beginning-they-have-reshaped-our-lives-run-us/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“His life was now the life of a collector, and that gave it meaning. Evening after evening he would count and arrange his cuttings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/his-life-was-now-the-life-of-a-collector-and-that-gave-it-meaning/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) ## 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 Dystopian fiction quotes > [“His life was now the life of a collector, and that gave it meaning. Evening after evening he would count and arrange his cuttings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/his-life-was-now-the-life-of-a-collector-and-that-gave-it-meaning/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“They were here from the beginning. They have reshaped our lives, run us from our homes. They were always here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nad-ge-richards/they-were-here-from-the-beginning-they-have-reshaped-our-lives-run-us/) [Nadège Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nad-ge-richards/) > [“David tears a chocolate chip cookie in half. “Want some?” He holds a piece out to me. The chocolate glistens, and the brown-buttery inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/david-tears-a-chocolate-chip-cookie-in-half-want-some-he-holds-a/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) > [Writers of feminist dystopian fiction are alert to the realities that grind down women's lives, that make the unthinkable suddenly thinkable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/writers-of-feminist-dystopian-fiction-are-alert-to-the-realities-that/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [“Their conversation ceased abruptly with the entry of an oddly-shaped man whose body resembled a certain vegetable. He was a thickset fellow with calloused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-phillips/their-conversation-ceased-abruptly-with-the-entry-of-an-oddly-shaped/) [Jeff Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-phillips/) > [“I lived in an enclave in which our oldest had seen twenty-five years. His face was withered, and his fingers shook when he attempted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/i-lived-in-an-enclave-in-which-our-oldest-had-seen-twenty-five-years/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [“Fantastic,” I said without an ounce of enthusiasm. “I’m just one more embarrassing confession away from taking over the world.” --Spencer Nye”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-letts/fantastic-i-said-without-an-ounce-of-enthusiasm-i-m-just-one-more/) [Jason Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-letts/) > [“The law isn't merciful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-campbell-beatty/the-law-isn-t-merciful/) [Cate Campbell Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-campbell-beatty/) > [“It's time, Perry". He let her go. She took a step back, taking in his face one last time. His green eyes. The bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/it-s-time-perry-he-let-her-go-she-took-a-step-back-taking-in-his-face/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) > [“Every future has a price.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-ellem/every-future-has-a-price/) [J.K. Ellem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-ellem/) > [“Well one tiny poisonous spider can kill a very large man if it bites him in the right place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-monroe/well-one-tiny-poisonous-spider-can-kill-a-very-large-man-if-it-bites/) [Michael Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-monroe/) > [“That was a double negative, Jemail. By saying that you haven’t seen nobody, you’re actually saying that you have seen somebody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-monroe/that-was-a-double-negative-jemail-by-saying-that-you-haven-t-seen/) [Michael Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-monroe/) > [“I’m thinking ahead, imagining what our lives together would be like once we’re free from this hell and allowed to live and let go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-lee-sanders/i-m-thinking-ahead-imagining-what-our-lives-together-would-be-like/) [Leslie Lee Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-lee-sanders/) > [“But really, that is kind of silly,' Abigail tried to explain. 'I mean, a book is much less personal than a programmed screen that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sleator/but-really-that-is-kind-of-silly-abigail-tried-to-explain-i-mean-a/) [William Sleator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sleator/) > [“The James Bond movies and the comic books had it all wrong. You did not need elaborate contraptions, complicated plans, and futuristic doomsday weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-j-caterino/the-james-bond-movies-and-the-comic-books-had-it-all-wrong-you-did/) [James J. Caterino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-j-caterino/) [Browse all 113 Dystopian fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dystopian-fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You think that because I am unwanted, because I am neglected and-and discarded-\" My voice inches higher with every word, the unrestrained emotions suddenly screaming through my lungs. \"You think I don't have a heart? You think I don't feel? You think that because I can inflict pain, that I should? You're just like everyone else. You think I'm a monster just like everyone else. 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