Writers of feminist dystopian fiction are alert to the realities that grind down women's lives, that make the unthinkable suddenly thinkable.
Naomi AldermanRead
When a marriage founders, this may well be cause for tremendous sadness, but it's not a failure of spirit or character. People change, their goals and dreams alter, their ideas of themselves grow, or they just meet someone they like better.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Marriages can end due to changes in personal goals and preferences, not a lack of character.
This quote by Naomi Alderman reflects the complexities of modern relationships, emphasizing that the end of a marriage is often a natural result of personal growth and changing aspirations rather than a personal failure. It suggests that people evolve over time, and their desires may shift, leading them to new paths that diverge from their previous commitments.
Themes
MarriageRelationshipsChangeGrowthPersonal Development
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire a discussion during a couples therapy session about the evolving nature of relationships.
More from Naomi Alderman
All quotes →The demands of having to be 'masculine' are as damaging to men as the demands of having to be 'feminine' are to women. I wish we could all agree just to wash it all away. Begin again.
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One of the hardest challenges posed by the modern world is how to deal with abundance. It's even harder to confront because admitting that it's a problem seems spoiled.
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I hope that there are many more women out there writing bits of feminist sci-fi. And men, also - men are allowed to write feminist things.
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The arts are valuable because they increase our sense of what it means to be human, not because of any specific skill or ability they confer.
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More choice doesn't make us happy, and we understand that no one has infinite choices about how to live life.
Naomi AldermanRead
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