She smiled, pulling the photo a little closer, and I wondered if I should ask her, too, the question for my project, get her definition. But as she ran a finger slowly across the faces, identifying each one, it occurred to me that maybe this was her answer. All those names, strung together like beads on a chain. Coming together, splitting apart, but still and always, a family. (page 289) ~Ruby Sarah Dessen
About This Quote

This passage explores the idea that some people can see the world in a more optimistic way than others. It tells of the protagonist's desire to get to know his mother's closest family members better. He is particularly interested in one particular member, her sister, whose name is never mentioned in the book. He wants to understand how she became part of the family, and how she feels about them now.

His curiosity leads him down a path exploring her life which informs him of her upbringing, her struggles with drug addiction, and the fact that she died under mysterious circumstances. The act of looking at his mother’s photo album inspires him to look for answers in others. It is by studying each person’s story that he learns something about his own family and how they became who they are today.

Source: Lock And Key

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More Quotes By Sarah Dessen
  1. There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.
  2. Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.
  3. No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain something greater... The love we have for each other is bigger than these small differences. And that's the key. It's like...
  4. You know, when it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs.
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