--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's as if people -- normal people -- are…" description: "\"“It's as if people -- normal people -- are made of silver. Shiny to start with, but tarnished by time, by ill-treatment. Luca... Luca is gold. Nothing ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg" --- # It's as if people -- normal people -- are made of silver… ![“It's as if people -- normal people -- are made of silver. Shiny to start with, but tarnished by time, by ill-treatment. Luca... Luca is gold. Nothing in the world could ever make him shine less brightly.” quote by Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg) > ““It's as if people -- normal people -- are made of silver. Shiny to start with, but tarnished by time, by ill-treatment. Luca... Luca is gold. Nothing in the world could ever make him shine less brightly.”” [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People start pure but become tarnished by hardship; some, like Luca, retain an inner brilliance that never dims. **In simple terms:** Hardship can tarnish, but true brilliance endures. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture enduring inner qualities. Themes resilience identity human nature beauty Mood empathetic hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - mentor‑mentee dynamics - long‑term friendships - adversity coping Key Concepts psychology character study Questions to Reflect On - What qualities keep someone’s inner light bright? - How do you support others to stay “gold” despite challenges? A Different Perspective Not everyone maintains such constancy; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silver/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If you want what NORMAL people have, do what normal people DO. If you want what FEW people have, do what few people DO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/if-you-want-what-normal-people-have-do-what-normal-people-do-if-you/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [Normal people with normal problems can be hilarious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee-jones/normal-people-with-normal-problems-can-be-hilarious/) [Tommy Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee-jones/) > [I love seeing black people do normal things, being judged as normal people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-love-seeing-black-people-do-normal-things-being-judged-as-normal/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [“Then we'll all go to the movies or go bowling. Something normal people do." "Because we're so normal, right?" He raised his hand high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-turner/then-we-ll-all-go-to-the-movies-or-go-bowling-something-normal-people/) [Alyssa Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-turner/) > [People who work make the world live better and to reward these people well is normal. Yet they are not the people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/people-who-work-make-the-world-live-better-and-to-reward-these-people/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [So one thing that I want to do is to make people realize that astronauts in general are very normal people. They are down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luca-parmitano/so-one-thing-that-i-want-to-do-is-to-make-people-realize-that/) [Luca Parmitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-parmitano/) > [Why do people have to be normal to be beautiful? This world is so small minded.Being different is beautiful too and some people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewshycrazyness/why-do-people-have-to-be-normal-to-be-beautiful-this-world-is-so/) [EwshyCrazyness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewshycrazyness/) > [“There are few exceptional people, no normal ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulvio-fiori/there-are-few-exceptional-people-no-normal-ones/) [Fulvio Fiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulvio-fiori/) > [I just want to be like other people that are normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burke/i-just-want-to-be-like-other-people-that-are-normal/) [Chris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burke/) > [Well I would say that we're regular people first of all and we're normal and it's obvious by some of the things that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-favre/well-i-would-say-that-we-re-regular-people-first-of-all-and-we-re/) [Brett Favre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-favre/) > [“In today's world the society appears to be a deviant and all people normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/in-today-s-world-the-society-appears-to-be-a-deviant-and-all-people/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“It's been my experience that those people who seem the most 'normal' are in fact the most dangerous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-west/it-s-been-my-experience-that-those-people-who-seem-the-most-normal/) Jacqueline West > [“People move; this is normal and happens frequently, especially for a single 20-something. Sometimes you wonder why you self-imposed such a hard thing-but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-protzman/people-move-this-is-normal-and-happens-frequently-especially-for-a/) Sarah Protzman > [I hope what people see in me is that I'm a normal guy, and that people who look as I do can do normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/i-hope-what-people-see-in-me-is-that-i-m-a-normal-guy-and-that-people/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [“People who are normal (i.e., sane, sensible) don’t try to open lines of communication with total strangers by writing them a series of disjointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/people-who-are-normal-i-e-sane-sensible-don-t-try-to-open-lines-of/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) ## More by Zoë Marriott > [“You see, that is why it is so easy to fool people with our illusions, Yue. In this world, illusions are usually much kinder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/you-see-that-is-why-it-is-so-easy-to-fool-people-with-our-illusions/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“Your heart is beating so fast,” he said softly, the words barely more than a whisper. “I can feel your blood humming under my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/your-heart-is-beating-so-fast-he-said-softly-the-words-barely-more/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“I truly believe that if you have more friends than books, you have too many friends. Or not enough books. Probably both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/i-truly-believe-that-if-you-have-more-friends-than-books-you-have-too/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“ Better naked and alive than decent and dead , I thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/better-naked-and-alive-than-decent-and-dead-i-thought/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“Why does it hurt so much? Why does it have to hurt?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/why-does-it-hurt-so-much-why-does-it-have-to-hurt/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“No one knows me. Not anymore”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/no-one-knows-me-not-anymore/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“It may seem strange to you, but there are no such creatures in Athazie. There is an animal-a very large animal-that lives on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/it-may-seem-strange-to-you-but-there-are-no-such-creatures-in-athazie/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“Trusting anyone can get you killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/trusting-anyone-can-get-you-killed/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“I know what evil looks like under the surface. No matter how beautiful the exterior, how good the lies, I don’t fool myself, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/i-know-what-evil-looks-like-under-the-surface-no-matter-how-beautiful/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“On my fourteenth birthday when the sakura was in full bloom, the men came to kill us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/on-my-fourteenth-birthday-when-the-sakura-was-in-full-bloom-the-men/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“Our greatest warriors,' Terayama-san said, 'believe that they are already dead. They live as if their lives are over, and so fighting holds no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/our-greatest-warriors-terayama-san-said-believe-that-they-are-already/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“I never knew my mother's name.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/i-never-knew-my-mother-s-name/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“Real love is hard because it requires one to know and accept another person with all their faults.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/real-love-is-hard-because-it-requires-one-to-know-and-accept-another/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“I’ve learned a lot about love over these last months. And part of what I’ve learned is that you have to want someone for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/i-ve-learned-a-lot-about-love-over-these-last-months-and-part-of-what/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [“I don't want you because I expect you to swoop in and rescue me and make everything all right.I don't want you because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/i-don-t-want-you-because-i-expect-you-to-swoop-in-and-rescue-me-and/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) [Explore all 25 Zoë Marriott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) ## More Gold quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in thesky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/set-the-bird-s-wings-with-gold-and-it-will-never-again-soar-in-thesky/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Just as the setting sun turned the clouds to liquid gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/just-as-the-setting-sun-turned-the-clouds-to-liquid-gold/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The spectacle of a great, solvent government paying a fictitious price for gold it did not want and did not need and doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/the-spectacle-of-a-great-solvent-government-paying-a-fictitious-price/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [Nothing good comes on a platter of gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-good-comes-on-a-platter-of-gold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [All metallics are neutrals. So it is absolutely fine to mix gold and silver; you just want it to look like it has purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/all-metallics-are-neutrals-so-it-is-absolutely-fine-to-mix-gold-and/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) [Browse all 3,806 Gold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's as if people -- normal people -- are made of silver. Shiny to start with, but tarnished by time, by ill-treatment. Luca... Luca is gold. Nothing in the world could ever make him shine less brightly.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zoë Marriott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made-of-silver-shiny-to-start/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gold" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made-of-silver-shiny-to-start/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/zo-marriott-24092_gold_it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made_1302939.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's as if people -- normal people -- are made of silver. Shiny to start with, but tarnished by time, by…” — Zoë Marriott", "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": "Zoë Marriott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's as if people -- normal...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made-of-silver-shiny-to-start/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/it-s-as-if-people-normal-people-are-made-of-silver-shiny-to-start/#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 } } ] } ```