--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We read about how Ajax and Achilles will…" description: "\"We read about how Ajax and Achilles will die for each other, but very little about the friendship of women.\" — Toni Morrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg" --- # We read about how Ajax and Achilles will die for each… ![“We read about how Ajax and Achilles will die for each other, but very little about the friendship of women.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg) > “We read about how Ajax and Achilles will die for each other, but very little about the friendship of women.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She notes that epic male friendships are highlighted, while female friendships are rarely explored. **In simple terms:** Female friendships are underrepresented in literature. Key Takeaway Highlight women's bonds. Themes gender literature representation Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical educational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - writing workshops - literary criticism Key Concepts female solidarity historical narratives Questions to Reflect On - How can we amplify women's stories? - What examples of female friendship exist? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on male bonds can marginalize women. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achilles/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [I would suppose I learned how to write when I was very young indeed. When I read a child's book about the Trojan War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-would-suppose-i-learned-how-to-write-when-i-was-very-young-indeed/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“I recognized the handwriting, and my heart gave a skip; when I opened it I got a turn, for it began, 'To my beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald-fraser/i-recognized-the-handwriting-and-my-heart-gave-a-skip-when-i-opened/) [George MacDonald Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald-fraser/) > [“We have formed a sick little friendship over the past year”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-remy/we-have-formed-a-sick-little-friendship-over-the-past-year/) [Dee Remy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-remy/) > [Friendship is a little more Smile, a little less Frown; a little more We, a little less I; a little more Laugh, a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norden/friendship-is-a-little-more-smile-a-little-less-frown-a-little-more/) [Norden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norden/) > [A life that partakes even a little of friendship, love, irony, humor, parenthood, literature, and music, and the chance to take part in battles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/a-life-that-partakes-even-a-little-of-friendship-love-irony-humor/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There is little friendship in the world, and least of all between equals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-little-friendship-in-the-world-and-least-of-all-between/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man can seem to have many friends yet know little of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-h-burns/a-man-can-seem-to-have-many-friends-yet-know-little-of-friendship/) [Clarence H. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-h-burns/) > [Shows like 'Sex and the City' got women involved again in a political way. They were drawn into the personal stories of the four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/shows-like-sex-and-the-city-got-women-involved-again-in-a-political/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [The friendship between women can be viewed like a rubik's cube complex, but oh so rewarding to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-friendship-between-women-can-be-viewed-like-a-rubik-s-cube/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is said that friendship between women is only a suspension of hostilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-rivarol/it-is-said-that-friendship-between-women-is-only-a-suspension-of/) [Antoine Rivarol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-rivarol/) > [Friendship between two women is always a plot against another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-karr/friendship-between-two-women-is-always-a-plot-against-another-one/) [Alphonse Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-karr/) > [I also really loved the friendship between these two women, and watching these two very different women working in this gritty male environment. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-alexander/i-also-really-loved-the-friendship-between-these-two-women-and/) [Sasha Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-alexander/) > [“This is a book about friendship between women, and the importance that they attach to intimacy and to looking after each other, and about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-moorehead/this-is-a-book-about-friendship-between-women-and-the-importance-that/) [Caroline Moorehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-moorehead/) > [ \[The Other Woman\]s not only a story about friendship and women and how we support one another and how we're there for one another,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/the-other-woman-s-not-only-a-story-about-friendship-and-women-and-how/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [“He was interested in the sudden friendship between two women so apparently dissimilar as Miss Bartlett and Miss Lavish. They were always in each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/he-was-interested-in-the-sudden-friendship-between-two-women-so/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Achilles quotes > [Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know-and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/suppose-that-we-are-wise-enough-to-learn-and-know-and-yet-not-wise/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [Ah, beer, my one weakness. My Achille's heel, if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ah-beer-my-one-weakness-my-achille-s-heel-if-you-will/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Patroclus, he says, Patroclus. Patroclus. Over and over until it is sound only.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/patroclus-he-says-patroclus-patroclus-over-and-over-until-it-is-sound/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There comes a point where certain things are becoming my Achilles heel; you know when you start repeating yourself and saying the same anecdotes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/there-comes-a-point-where-certain-things-are-becoming-my-achilles/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [To reveal imprudently the spot where we are most sensitive and vulnerable is to invite a blow. The demigod Achilles admitted no one to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/to-reveal-imprudently-the-spot-where-we-are-most-sensitive-and/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [Like Achilles, the hero who forgot his heel, or like Icarus who, flying close to the sun, forgot that his wings were made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-longenecker/like-achilles-the-hero-who-forgot-his-heel-or-like-icarus-who-flying/) [Dwight Longenecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-longenecker/) > [And overpowered by memory Both men gave way to grief. Priam wept freely For man - killing Hector, throbbing, crouching Before Achilles' feet as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/and-overpowered-by-memory-both-men-gave-way-to-grief-priam-wept/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Briseis is kneeling by my body. She has brought water and cloth, and washes the blood and dirt from my skin. Her hands are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/briseis-is-kneeling-by-my-body-she-has-brought-water-and-cloth-and/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [When we consider the weak and nerveless periods of some literary men, who perchance in feet and inches come up to the standard oftheir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-consider-the-weak-and-nerveless-periods-of-some-literary-men/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Personal integrity in Achilles achieves the form and authority of immanent divinity, with its inviolable, lonely singleness, half repellent because of its almost inhuman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedric-h-whitman/personal-integrity-in-achilles-achieves-the-form-and-authority-of/) [Cedric H Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedric-h-whitman/) > [As the Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe has presciently pointed out, neoliberal corporate globalism threatens to exploit that advantage like never before, and it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-naffis-sahely/as-the-cameroonian-philosopher-achille-mbembe-has-presciently-pointed/) [Andre Naffis-Sahely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-naffis-sahely/) > [“I listened and did not speak. Achilles’ eyes were bright in the firelight, his face drawn sharply by the flickering shadows. I would know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-listened-and-did-not-speak-achilles-eyes-were-bright-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At Achilles tomb, O fortunate youth, to have found Homer as the herald of your glory!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/at-achilles-tomb-o-fortunate-youth-to-have-found-homer-as-the-herald/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [The Achilles Heel of the Americas was the lack of cultural confidence typical of new settlers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-erickson/the-achilles-heel-of-the-americas-was-the-lack-of-cultural-confidence/) [Arthur Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-erickson/) [Browse all 180 Achilles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achilles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We read about how Ajax and Achilles will die for each other, but very little about the friendship of women.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will-die-for-each-other-but-very/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achilles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will-die-for-each-other-but-very/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/toni-morrison-271_achilles_we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will_1381301.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We read about how Ajax and Achilles will die for each other, but very little about the friendship of women.” — Toni Morrison", "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": "Toni Morrison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We read about how Ajax and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will-die-for-each-other-but-very/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/we-read-about-how-ajax-and-achilles-will-die-for-each-other-but-very/#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 } } ] } ```