I pay very little regard...to what any young person says on the subject of marriage. If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not yet seen the right person.
Jane AustenRead
No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be a heroine... But from fifteen to seventeen she was in training for a heroine.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that outward appearance doesn't define one's potential, as Catherine Morland evolves into a heroine despite unremarkable beginnings.
In this quote, Jane Austen reflects on the development of Catherine Morland, indicating that initial expectations can be misleading. The transformation from a seemingly ordinary girl into a heroine underscores the idea that personal growth and experience shape who we become, rather than our beginnings or how others perceive us. It conveys that with time and effort, anyone can evolve into their true potential, which may not be apparent to others at first.
Themes
HeroineTransformationGrowthPotentialDevelopment
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about personal development at a graduation ceremony.
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He certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person.
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You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever.
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She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! Alas! She must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.
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