“When I thought about my old friends Linus Lucas and Theo, I realized they were not really criminals either. They were like me. We were just acting out the strangest, tragic little roles, pretending to be criminals in order to get by. We gave very convincing performances.”
Quote Analysis
In this quote, Heather O'Neill reflects on the relationships she had with her old friends Linus Lucas and Theo, realizing that they were not truly criminals at heart. Instead, she sees them as individuals who were simply trying to survive by portraying a persona that was expected of them. The quote demonstrates the idea that people often play specific roles in order to navigate through difficult circumstances, even if those roles may not accurately reflect who they truly are.
Modern Relevance
In Heather O'Neill's novel Lullabies for Little Criminals, the protagonist reflects on her friends who, like her, were forced into a life of crime as a means of survival. This theme of individuals resorting to criminal behavior in desperate circumstances resonates in today's society, where systemic issues such as poverty and lack of opportunities can push people into illegal activities despite not being inherently criminal themselves.
Heather O'Neill on the idea of pretending to be criminals
"When I thought about my old friends Linus Lucas and Theo, I realized they were not really criminals either. They were like me. We were just acting out the strangest, tragic little roles, pretending to be criminals in order to get by. We gave very convincing performances." - Heather O'Neill
Reflection Questions:
Upon reading Heather O'Neill's quote about her old friends Linus Lucas and Theo, it raises some interesting questions about the roles we play in life. Take some time to reflect on the following questions:
- Have you ever felt like you were playing a certain role in order to navigate a difficult situation or environment?
- How do societal expectations and pressures influence the roles we choose to play?
- In what ways can pretending to be someone we're not have both positive and negative effects on our lives and relationships?
- How can we strive to be true to ourselves while still adapting to the expectations of others?
Similar quotes
“...stereotypes were self-reinforcing because unconsciously you were looking for things to confirm them. That was why policemen thought – based on so-called experience – that all criminals were stupid, and criminals thought the same about all policemen.”
“All my friends thought I was a very happy human being. Because that's how I acted- like a really happy human being. But all that pretending made me tired. If I acted the way I felt, then I doubt my friends would have really hung out with me. So the pretending wasn't all bad. The pretending made me less lonely. But in another was, it made me more lonely because I felt like a fraud. I've always felt like a fake human being.”
“Why was it that when noughts committed criminal acts, the fact that they were noughts was always pointed out? The banker was a Cross. The newsreader didn't even mention it.”
“You know you're my best friend, right?' he said.I shrugged. I guessed it was true. Now that I wasn't going to be at the parade, they would all hate me. Everything had been carefully choreographed, and me not being there would throw them all off. I realized that kids like Theo and me weren't supposed to have real friends. We were supposed to be all alone and confused. By being each other's friend, we were defying our laws of gravity.”
“Now I realized that me and him were just alike. We were both born to win. And, when we were not winning, it was OK 'cause we were busy planning to win.”