Courage Quote by Thornton Wilder
““She had never brought courage to either life or love. Her eyes ransacked her heart. She thought of the amulets and of her beads, her drunkenness... she thought of her daughter. She remembered the long relationship, crowded with the wreckage of exhumed conversations, of fancied slights, of inopportune confidences, of charges of neglect and exclusion (but she must have been mad that day; she remembered beating on the table). "But it's not my fault," she cried. "It's not my fault that I was so. It was circumstance. It was the way I was brought up. Tomorrow I begin a new life. Wait and see, oh my child.””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Skin of Our Teeth, 1942
The passage portrays a character overwhelmed by guilt, circumstance, and a desire for renewal, highlighting the tension between self‑blame and hope for change.
In simple terms: She feels trapped by past actions but hopes for a fresh start.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge past, but focus on rebuilding.
Themes
guilt
hope
family dynamics
Mood
melancholic
hopeful
Type
dramatic
psychological
When to use this quote
- family crises
- personal trauma
- starting over
- mental health therapy
Key Concepts
psychological conflict
redemption
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “new life” mean for her?
- How can she break the cycle of self‑blame?
A Different Perspective
Hope may be unrealistic without confronting underlying issues.
