--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why is life a constant disappointment?'…" description: "\"“Why is life a constant disappointment?' 'Because we read fiction,' Mia said, and Shelley nodded, knowing it was true.”\" — Victoria Connelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/victoria-connelly-33485_fiction_why-is-life-a-constant-disappointment-be_85761.jpg" --- # Why is life a constant disappointment?' 'Because we read… ![“Why is life a constant disappointment?' 'Because we read fiction,' Mia said, and Shelley nodded, knowing it was true.” quote by Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/victoria-connelly-33485_fiction_why-is-life-a-constant-disappointment-be_85761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/victoria-connelly-33485_fiction_why-is-life-a-constant-disappointment-be_85761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/victoria-connelly-33485_fiction_why-is-life-a-constant-disappointment-be_85761.jpg) > ““Why is life a constant disappointment?' 'Because we read fiction,' Mia said, and Shelley nodded, knowing it was true.”” [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life feels perpetually let down because fictional narratives set unrealistic expectations that reality cannot meet. **In simple terms:** Fiction creates false expectations. Key Takeaway Reality often falls short of storybook ideals. Themes expectation vs. reality literature's impact disillusionment human longing Mood melancholic reflective Type aphoristic conversational When to use this quote - reading novels - watching movies - consuming media - personal reflection Key Concepts narrative influence psychology of disappointment Practical Applications - counseling about media literacy - creative writing workshops Questions to Reflect On - How do stories shape our satisfaction with life? - Can we find contentment without narrative comparison? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiction Mia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-mia-1079668/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Read Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-fiction/) [Said Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-shelley-1079670/) [Shelley Nodded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shelley-nodded-1079669/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [It's a guilty secret of a lot of writers, as you get older you don't read as much fiction as you used to, mainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-a-guilty-secret-of-a-lot-of-writers-as-you-get-older-you-don-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Writing fiction is not a profession that leaves one well-disposed toward reading fiction. One starts out loving books and stories, and then one becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/writing-fiction-is-not-a-profession-that-leaves-one-well-disposed/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I very rarely read any fiction. I love biographies; I read about all kinds of people. I love theology and some philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-very-rarely-read-any-fiction-i-love-biographies-i-read-about-all/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I don't read fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-henry/i-don-t-read-fiction/) [John W. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-henry/) > [Everybody should read fiction… I don’t think serious fiction is written for a few people. I think we live in a stupid culture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-everett/everybody-should-read-fiction-i-don-t-think-serious-fiction-is/) [Percival Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-everett/) > [“This was during a period in my reading life when I was given to understand that "relating" to the fictional characters or situation was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-shields/this-was-during-a-period-in-my-reading-life-when-i-was-given-to/) [Carol Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-shields/) > [I prefer non-fiction to fiction. In fact, I don't read fiction at all. I read books that are based on true events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-penty/i-prefer-non-fiction-to-fiction-in-fact-i-don-t-read-fiction-at-all-i/) [Diana Penty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-penty/) > [I've read only fiction, so I don't know anything actual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-torv/i-ve-read-only-fiction-so-i-don-t-know-anything-actual/) [Anna Torv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-torv/) > [I've only read fiction, so I don't know anything actual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-torv/i-ve-only-read-fiction-so-i-don-t-know-anything-actual/) [Anna Torv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-torv/) > [Read everything. Read fiction and non-fiction, read hot best sellers and the classics you never got around to in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/read-everything-read-fiction-and-non-fiction-read-hot-best-sellers/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) > [I used to read only fiction. Now I don't read much, only occasionally, such as a Cormac McCarthy or a Jim Harrison novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-quammen/i-used-to-read-only-fiction-now-i-don-t-read-much-only-occasionally/) [David Quammen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-quammen/) > [“Any fiction writer who has never had his work misunderstood couldn't have written a lot. Somehow along the way you are going to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rotimi-ogunjobi/any-fiction-writer-who-has-never-had-his-work-misunderstood-couldn-t/) [Rotimi Ogunjobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rotimi-ogunjobi/) > [“Lots of women read fiction. Most men don't. Women read fiction written by women and by men. Most men don't. If a man opens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/lots-of-women-read-fiction-most-men-don-t-women-read-fiction-written/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“That first day I asked my students what they thought fiction should accomplish, why one should bother to read fiction at all. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/that-first-day-i-asked-my-students-what-they-thought-fiction-should/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“we read fiction to satisfy a more basic need—to imagine our way into other lives, to explore characters and situations that tell us something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/we-read-fiction-to-satisfy-a-more-basic-need-to-imagine-our-way-into/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) ## More by Victoria Connelly > [“Very few modern men dressed well, she had to admit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/very-few-modern-men-dressed-well-she-had-to-admit/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“Sarah often thought it funny how she would think of the characters as if they were real people who had really lived, occupying this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/sarah-often-thought-it-funny-how-she-would-think-of-the-characters-as/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“She couldn't help thinking that something was wrong with a person had more shoes than books in their home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/she-couldn-t-help-thinking-that-something-was-wrong-with-a-person-had/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“a lady’s imagination is very rapid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/a-lady-s-imagination-is-very-rapid/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“That’s the only problem with novels,’ Mia said. ‘They give readers such high hopes that the real world can often be a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/that-s-the-only-problem-with-novels-mia-said-they-give-readers-such/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“Every person has to make their own decisions in life. 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They're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/novels-can-tell-us-so-much-about-life-they-have-the-power-to-enrich/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“Did Jane Austen ruin lives by giving people false expectations about love? Were her heroes just too good to be true? Could a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/did-jane-austen-ruin-lives-by-giving-people-false-expectations-about/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“I think loss isolates a person. Everybody is far too nervous to ask you how you feel, in case you have a breakdown in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/i-think-loss-isolates-a-person-everybody-is-far-too-nervous-to-ask/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“She needed a break from me. Well, real ones anyway. Fictional men were fine: they knew their place. You could just pick up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/she-needed-a-break-from-me-well-real-ones-anyway-fictional-men-were/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“Best safety lies in fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/best-safety-lies-in-fear/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“I wonder what it is about a certain novel that ticks the boxes for a reader. I mean, for me, a story can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/i-wonder-what-it-is-about-a-certain-novel-that-ticks-the-boxes-for-a/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) > [“Why couldn’t love be rational like everything else? What right did it have to bulldoze through your reasoning and leave you spinning?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-connelly/why-couldn-t-love-be-rational-like-everything-else-what-right-did-it/) [Victoria Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) [Explore all 15 Victoria Connelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-connelly/) ## More Fiction quotes > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [Fiction is a way of exploring possibilities present but undreamt of in the living of a single life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/fiction-is-a-way-of-exploring-possibilities-present-but-undreamt-of/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I love writing fiction and can do it anywhere - I once even missed a flight because I was so engrossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prue-leith/i-love-writing-fiction-and-can-do-it-anywhere-i-once-even-missed-a/) [Prue Leith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prue-leith/) > [“The fiction will seek the real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coheed-and-cambria/the-fiction-will-seek-the-real/) [Coheed and Cambria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coheed-and-cambria/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“His hands on my waist he gently pulled me n embrace. 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It has to do with taking a large fiction itself and writing within it; that kind of self-reflecting writing that emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coover/metafiction-says-something-it-has-to-do-with-taking-a-large-fiction/) [Robert Coover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coover/) [Browse all 7,410 Fiction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why is life a constant disappointment?' 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