--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was thirteen years old, I didn't…" description: "\"When I was thirteen years old, I didn't exactly discover epic fantasy on my own. I acquired it as a social defence mechanism.\" — Tansy Rayner Roberts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/tansy-rayner-roberts-37481_acquired_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-i-didn-t-e_314873.jpg" --- # When I was thirteen years old, I didn't exactly discover… ![“When I was thirteen years old, I didn't exactly discover epic fantasy on my own. I acquired it as a social defence mechanism.” quote by Tansy Rayner Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/tansy-rayner-roberts-37481_acquired_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-i-didn-t-e_314873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/tansy-rayner-roberts-37481_acquired_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-i-didn-t-e_314873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/tansy-rayner-roberts-37481_acquired_when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-i-didn-t-e_314873.jpg) > “When I was thirteen years old, I didn't exactly discover epic fantasy on my own. I acquired it as a social defence mechanism.” [Tansy Rayner Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tansy-rayner-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Epic fantasy was adopted as a social shield during adolescence, providing an escape and identity. **In simple terms:** Fantasy served as a protective social tool in teen years. Key Takeaway Recognize literature’s role in social coping. Themes identity social coping fantasy adolescence defense mechanism Mood nostalgic reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - teenage - reading groups - personal growth Key Concepts narrative therapy social identity escapism Questions to Reflect On - How did fantasy help you socially? - What other outlets could serve similar purposes? A Different Perspective Relying solely on fiction may avoid real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquired/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Defence mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence-mechanism/) [Discover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discover/) [Discover Epic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discover-epic-2981239/) [Epic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/) [Epic Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic-fantasy-2/) [Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fantasy Acquired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy-acquired-2981238/) [Mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mechanism/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Thirteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirteen/) [Thirteen Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirteen-years/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [“And against whom is this censorship directed? 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Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [In the 'Dreamblood' books, I'm focusing more on what I like about epic fantasy: the layering and depth of tension; the chance to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/in-the-dreamblood-books-i-m-focusing-more-on-what-i-like-about-epic/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [“HARD SF and EPIC FANTASY – both of these forms have been conventionalised, proscribed and prescribed, such that they constitute valid GENRES in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/hard-sf-and-epic-fantasy-both-of-these-forms-have-been/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) ## More by Tansy Rayner Roberts > [History is imperfect and biased, and it always, always has omissions. 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