Cynicism

* Nancy's thoughts were so newly formed that the cynicism had not had time to dry. It dripped from the freshly-hewn words, splattering the optimism of the following pages.

Life As a Writer

• She worried that she wasn’t even doing a good job of writing poorly.

Self-image

• As a cruel child might use a magnifying glass and the rays of the sun on unsuspecting ants, his sister used trumped-up accusations and certitude to immolate his last vestige of self-worth.

Skeptical Happiness

• A ray of happiness snuck through the storm clouds of his depression, momentarily blinding him.
• Luke felt irrationally happy. It worried him that he didn’t know why.
• Occasionally Penelope played at being happy. But mostly she preferred the familiarity of despair.
• The Prince’s happiness was only exceeded by his skepticism of its durability.
• Happiness was such a new experience that Anne wanted to grab every sad person she encountered and make them a convert.
• Tom concluded that “happiness” was an imprecise concept, equally applicable to how he felt after completing a marathon or having good sex. He had heard others use the term after “meeting the right person” or seeing their child overcome some personal obstacle. 

Innocence

• I experienced a momentary feeling of innocence none of us truly has past the age of one.
• Children take no credit for their innocence. Not only didn’t they create it, they eschew it, disposing of it at the first opportunity.
• Lydia wore her innocence as she wore Aunt Agatha’s diamond-studded brooch- prominently, but as something not discussed by those of good breeding.
• Anthony wondered, “If I contemplate giving up my innocence, perhaps I already have. Can a truly innocent person conceive of abandoning it?”
• Portia shed her innocence with no more thought than she’d give to removing her raincoat when a storm had passed.