“As is so often the case, the supposedly insignificant understood the psychology of the strong, while the strong didn't have a clue about the other.”

“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is, that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't.”

“--nor had I understood til then how the shameless vanity of utter fools can so strongly determine the fate of others”

“Men should be like Kleenex, soft, strong and disposable. - Mrs. White, (Clue 1985)”

“Many strong girls have similar stories: They were socially isolated and lonely in adolescence. Smart girls are often the girls most rejected by peers. Their strength is a threat and they are punished for being different. Girls who are unattractive or who don't worry about their appearance are scorned. This isolation is often a blessing because it allows girls to develop a strong sense of self. Girls who are isolated emerge from adolescence more independent and self-sufficient than girls who have been accepted by others. Strong girls may protect themselves by being quiet and guarded so that their rebellion is known by only a few trusted others. They may be cranky and irascible and keep critics at a distance so that only people who love them know what they are up to. They may have the knack of shrugging off the opinions of others or they may use humor to deflect the hostility that comes their way.”

“Women in the postfeminist era, while supposedly strong and commanding and equal to men in every sense, looked weaker and smaller than ever before.”