Lois Lowry Quotes

Powerful Lois Lowry for Daily Growth

About Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry (born 1937) is an esteemed American writer known for her thought-provoking and imaginative works. Born in Hawaii as Lois Ann Hamner, she spent her early years traveling extensively due to her father's military service, settling eventually in Orlando, Florida. This nomadic childhood would later influence her writing, with many of her stories exploring themes of identity, freedom, and the human condition. Lowry attended the University of Miami and later earned a master's degree in library science from Simmons College in Boston. During this period, she married Richard Lowry and began her literary career, publishing several children's books in the 1960s and 1970s. However, it was her dystopian novel 'The Giver' (1993) that catapulted Lowry to international fame. Set in a future society where emotions are suppressed, it tells the story of Jonas, who is selected to receive memories of the past and ultimately challenges the status quo. The book was followed by two sequels, 'Gathering Blue' (2000) and 'Messenger' (2004), collectively known as The Giver Quartet. In 2005, Lowry published 'Number the Stars,' a historical novel based on her mother's experiences during World War II in Denmark. This poignant story earned her a Newbery Medal, one of many prestigious awards she has received throughout her illustrious career. Today, Lois Lowry continues to write, captivating readers with her intricate plots and profound explorations of humanity. Her works remain as relevant and thought-provoking today as they were upon their initial publication.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The greatest secret is that there are no secrets."

This quote by Lois Lowry highlights the idea that all knowledge, truths, or hidden facts eventually come to light, suggesting an underlying transparency in the world we inhabit. In other words, it implies that everything will eventually be revealed, debunking the notion of secrets being unattainable or immortalized. It serves as a reminder to live honestly and openly, as deception and secrecy are ultimately futile.

"Words are, in some ways, the most powerful drug used by mankind."

This quote emphasizes the profound impact words can have on individuals and society as a whole, likening them to a potent drug. Words have the power to heal, inspire, manipulate, teach, comfort, or hurt. They are instruments of communication that shape our thoughts, feelings, and actions, making them an essential tool for humanity in shaping its own destiny.

"It was a truth universally acknowledged that it is easier to be unkind than kind; harder to be difficult than good."

This quote suggests a pervasive observation that it's often easier for individuals to behave unkindly or with difficulty rather than exhibiting kindness or goodness. The phrase "universally acknowledged" implies a general agreement on this tendency, reflecting the human condition where negative actions seem more instinctual and require less effort compared to positive ones. It serves as a reminder that while it may be challenging to act kindly, the benefits and impact of such actions are invaluable.

"Grown-ups hold all the secrets. They keep them very tightly inside, like treasures they don't want anyone else to find."

This quote suggests that adults possess a level of knowledge and experiences which are often kept private, creating an air of mystery around them. The idea is that these "secrets" are not intentionally hidden from children or the younger generation, but rather, they are part of the natural growth process and maturity that comes with age. This quote can be interpreted as a reflection on how society perceives the relationship between adults and children, implying that understanding the depths of adult wisdom often requires time and life experiences.

"Words can hurt you, words can heal you. Words are your most powerful weapons - use them wisely."

This quote emphasizes the immense power that words hold in our lives. They have the capacity to cause pain or offer comfort, to wound or to heal. As such, it's crucial to be mindful of how we choose to utilize our words, ensuring we use them wisely in all interactions, fostering a positive impact on others and promoting understanding and empathy.

I think teens are drawn to these speculative books that portray what might happen and what could happen.

- Lois Lowry

Think, Happen, I Think, Portray

When I wrote 'The Giver,' it contained no so-called 'bad words.' It was set, after all, in a mythical, futuristic, and Utopian society. Not only was there no poverty, divorce, racism, sexism, pollution, or violence in the world of 'The Giver'; there was also careful attention paid to language: to its fluency, precision, and power.

- Lois Lowry

Bad, Precision, Careful, Divorce

I majored in English in college, so I read the classic dystopian novels like '1984' and 'Brave New World.'

- Lois Lowry

College, New, Read, New World

Oddly, the military world is one of great sameness. There is an orderly quality to life on an army base, and even the children of the military are brought up with that sense of order and sameness.

- Lois Lowry

Great, Sense, Brought, Orderly

I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized that what intrigued me was not the science, not the chemistry or biology of medicine, but the narrative - the story of each patient, each illness.

- Lois Lowry

Been, About, Became, Intrigued

I tend not to think about audience when I'm writing. Many people who read 'The Giver' now have their own kids who are reading it. Even from the beginning, the book attracted an audience beyond a child audience.

- Lois Lowry

Book, Beginning, Own, Giver

Submitting to censorship is to enter the seductive world of 'The Giver': the world where there are no bad words and no bad deeds. But it is also the world where choice has been taken away and reality distorted. And that is the most dangerous world of all.

- Lois Lowry

Deeds, Away, Been, Giver

I think 'The Giver' is such a moral book, so filled with important truths, that I couldn't believe anyone would want to suppress it, to keep it from kids.

- Lois Lowry

Book, Think, I Think, Giver

'Gathering Blue' was a separate book. I wanted to explore what a society might become after a catastrophic world event. Only at the end did I realize I could make it connect to 'The Giver.'

- Lois Lowry

Explore, Might, Separate, Giver

People are starting to refer to 'The Giver' as a classic, but I don't know how that is defined. But if it means that 10, 20, 50 years from now kids will still be reading it, that is kind of awe-inspiring.

- Lois Lowry

How, Years, Awe-Inspiring, Giver

It's interesting that so many books now are published as the first in a series. It never occurred to me. Although 'The Giver' does have an ambiguous ending. I've heard about that from readers over the years.

- Lois Lowry

Years, Ambiguous, About, Giver

People in the know say 'The Giver' was the first young adult dystopian novel.

- Lois Lowry

Young, Know, Say, Giver

I think I've written 40 books, and none of them have been heavy on action. I'm an introspective person.

- Lois Lowry

Think, Been, I Think, Introspective

When I moved from Cambridge, I donated all my fiction. I carefully cut out pages the authors had autographed for me. I didn't want those autographed books showing up on eBay.

- Lois Lowry

Fiction, Cut, Donated, Showing Up

I don't for one second think about the possibility of censorship when I am writing a new book. I know I am a person who cares about kids and who cares about truth and I am guided by my own instincts, and trust them.

- Lois Lowry

Trust, Book, Own, Guided

People do things that turn out badly, often for the most benevolent of reasons.

- Lois Lowry

Most, Reasons, Badly, Benevolent

Nowadays it seems as though people sit down to write what they know is going to be a trilogy.

- Lois Lowry

Going, Nowadays, Though, Trilogy

In 1952, when I was 15 and living on Governors Island, which was then First Army Headquarters, I encountered the newly-published 'The Catcher in the Rye.' Of course, that book became the iconic anti-establishment novel for my generation.

- Lois Lowry

Book, Iconic, Became, Headquarters

Many of the books I loved as a kid, that even my mother read as a child, are very slow going. Today's children are not as patient. The best example of this is 'The Secret Garden,' which I adored as a child.

- Lois Lowry

Very, Which, Read, Garden

I would say that most of my books are contemporary realistic fiction... a couple, maybe three, fall into the 'historic fiction' category. Science fiction is not a favorite genre of mine, though I have greatly enjoyed some of the work of Ursula LeGuin. I haven't read much science fiction so I don't know other sci-fi authors.

- Lois Lowry

Some, Other, Couple, Category

I never, as a reader, have been particularly interested in dystopian literature or science fiction or, in fact, fantasy.

- Lois Lowry

Fact, Been, Particularly, Science Fiction

Most people remember being 4 objectively, as if they're seeing a movie of a 4-year-old. But me, if you ask me to think about when I'm 4, I can feel myself being 4, and I am there, looking out through my 4-year-old eyes.

- Lois Lowry

Through, Movie, About, Objectively

People can lie in letters, but they tend not to. They certainly lie in memoirs.

- Lois Lowry

Memoirs, Tend, Certainly, Letters

I have been fortunate. I have done so many things and enjoyed so many things and had such a great life, not to imply that it is ending, but that there aren't many things that I feel I have left undone.

- Lois Lowry

Feel, Been, Imply, Great Life

Often in the past, there have been authors that were deeply disappointed in their adaptation, but that's because they haven't accepted the fact that a movie is a different thing, and it can't possibly be the same as the book.

- Lois Lowry

Fact, In The Past, Been, Possibly

I prefer to surprise myself as I'm writing. I'm not interested in it if I already know where it's going. So I have only the most general sense of what I'm doing when I start a story. I sometimes have a destination in mind, but how the story is going to go from Point A to Point Z is something I make up as I go along.

- Lois Lowry

Doing, Sometimes, Prefer, General Sense

When I was a kid in the '50s, during the Eisenhower years, everything seemed to be working fine. I don't recall as a teenager ever worrying about the state of the future world.

- Lois Lowry

Kid, Worrying, Seemed, Teenager

I was fortunate to live for 3 years in another country, and although we lived in an American compound, still as a young adolescent I did venture into the world of the Japanese with great interest and enjoyment. But many Americans never left that safe and familiar life among their own people.

- Lois Lowry

Young, Country, Another, Adolescent

Early on I came to realize something, and it came from the mail I received from kids. That is, kids at that pivotal age, 12, 13 or 14, they're still deeply affected by what they read, some are changed by what they read, books can change the way they feel about the world in general. I don't think that's true of adults as much.

- Lois Lowry

Some, Mail, About, Changed

There will always be a place for bunnies to talk in rhyme, but that's not what I do.

- Lois Lowry

Talk, Will, Always, Rhyme

If we as writers could predict what readers grab on to, we would write it.

- Lois Lowry

Could, Would, Readers, Grab

I often compare myself as a kid to my own grandchildren, who are around 11 and 14 now. That's the age kids usually read my book. And I remember myself; we'd gone through a world war. My father was an army officer so I was aware of what was going on. But I wasn't bombarded with images of catastrophe like many kids are today.

- Lois Lowry

I Remember, Through, Compare, Bombarded

I was a sidelines child: never class president, never team captain, never the one with the most valentines in my box.

- Lois Lowry

Team, Box, Captain, Sidelines

Because I have two houses, I invariably get immersed in a book and then discover it's at the other house.

- Lois Lowry

Book, Discover, Other, Immersed

Kids deserve the right to think that they can change the world.

- Lois Lowry

World, Think, Deserve, Change The World

I believe without a single shadow of a doubt that it is necessary for young people to learn to make choices. Learning to make right choices is the only way they will survive in an increasingly frightening world.

- Lois Lowry

Survive, Increasingly, I Believe

Pretending that there are no choices to be made - reading only books, for example, which are cheery and safe and nice - is a prescription for disaster for the young.

- Lois Lowry

Young, Pretending, Which, Disaster

I always set out to tell a good story, to create a character that young people can relate to, place them in a situation that will be interesting, intriguing, eventually suspenseful. But what I find is that after I do that, then there are themes that emerge, which teachers can then use to provoke discussion and debate.

- Lois Lowry

Young, Good Story, Use, Intriguing

As female hormones decrease, they're replaced with an overwhelming urge to grow delphinium.

- Lois Lowry

Grow, Hormones, Replaced, Overwhelming

We live in times that are in many ways ambiguous. Maybe that's why kids want precision in what they read - they don't like that moral ambiguity.

- Lois Lowry

Like, Maybe, Read, Ambiguous

Writing is self employment, so you can make your own schedule.

- Lois Lowry

Writing, Own, Schedule, Employment

I think of every book as a single entity, and some have later gone on to become a series, often at the request of readers.

- Lois Lowry

Think, Some, Request, Entity

This may sound strange, but at a very early age, at around 3, I was aware that I was smarter than the other kids.

- Lois Lowry

Other, Very, Very Early Age, Smarter

I don't read young adult or children's books, now that my grandchildren are beyond the age of my reading to them. I read reviews, and so I'm aware of what's out there. But I tend not to read the books.

- Lois Lowry

Grandchildren, Young, Read, Young Adult

I think when you've had success, publishers and reviewers and readers are willing to let you try something new if you've already proven yourself. They're excited about what you're doing, you have people interested in it, and actually waiting for it. It's empowering.

- Lois Lowry

Waiting, Doing, I Think, Readers

Kids have no sense of appropriateness. They can ask me whatever they want. You do develop a sense of intimacy with readers, and they tell you things about themselves. During a school year, I'll get e-mails asking about the books. I'll give them information, but I won't do their homework for them.

- Lois Lowry

Asking, Year, No Sense, Readers

The grand surprise has really been the fact that being an author, which to me had always implied being a private person, actually requires you to be a public person as well, and those are two separate entities to me.

- Lois Lowry

Fact, Been, Private, Requires

One hopes that with a book or movie, the reader or the audience will emerge from it thinking. That's the most you can hope for: that you've raised questions that will be there for the audience to think about later.

- Lois Lowry

Think, Audience, Movie, Emerge

When you lose a child in an accident as I did, it's final - you're not caught in this longing for him, to search for him, knowing he's out there some place.

- Lois Lowry

Lose, Some, Caught, Longing

When I create characters, I create a world to inhabit and they begin to feel very real for me. I don't belong in a psych ward, I don't think, but they become very real, like my own family, and then I have to say goodbye, close the door, and work on other things.

- Lois Lowry

Door, Other, Very, Close

So many of my books, I don't want to say they have messages, but they have important things to say.

- Lois Lowry

Important, Want, Books, Messages

If somebody takes the time, a: to read a book that I have written, and then to b: care about it enough to write me and ask questions, surely I owe them a response.

- Lois Lowry

Book, Surely, Read, Response

What comes to me always is a character, a scene, a moment. That's going to be the beginning. Then, as I write, I begin to perceive an ending. I begin to see a destination, although sometimes that changes. And then, of course, there's the whole middle section looming.

- Lois Lowry

Beginning, I Write, Perceive

I turn to books for a feeling of companionship: for somebody knowing what I have known.

- Lois Lowry

Knowing, Books, Known, Companionship

I'm not terribly conversant with children's literature in general. I tend to read books for adults, being an adult.

- Lois Lowry

Being, Read, Terribly, Adult

I've always been fascinated by memory and dreams because they are both completely our own. No one else has the same memories. No one has the same dreams.

- Lois Lowry

Memory, Always, Been, Memories

In my writing, I focus lenses. I'm almost always seeing when I am writing.

- Lois Lowry

I Am, Seeing, Always, Lenses

I don't set out to transmit a message. I don't write with a political point of view. There are no religious overtones. Looking back at my books, I can say, 'Oh, yes, it is there.' But it's not in my mind when I write.

- Lois Lowry

Looking Back, Religious, Message

I'm a writer; I like to retain subtlety and nuance.

- Lois Lowry

Like, Nuance, Retain, Subtlety

There are those, I think, who are attracted to the glitz of celebrity life. I am not one of them.

- Lois Lowry

Think, Celebrity, I Think, Attracted

The fact that I lost my son permeates my being.

- Lois Lowry

Son, Fact, Being, Lost

My mind is always on whatever next project I'm working on.

- Lois Lowry

Mind, Next, Always, Project

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