TOP 10 QUOTES FROM DEMON COPPERHEAD
1.
“All God’s children have to take a shit, but you’d never know it from the way they treat the ones who have to clean it up.”
2.
“Trust the road. Because nobody stays, in the long run you’re on your own with your ghosts. You’re the ship, they’re the bottle.”
3.
“Certain pitiful souls around here see whiteness as their last asset that hasn’t been totaled or repossessed.”
4.
“I got up every day thinking the sun was out there shining, and it could just as well shine on me as any other human person.”
5.
“One thing I learned from Mr. Armstrong while striving heartily to remain uneducated: a good story doesn’t just copy life, it pushes back on it. It’s why guys like Chartrain wear their clothes too big and their teeth edged with gold, why Mr. Dick puts words on kites and sends them to the sun. It’s why I draw what I draw.”
Quotes with Responses
6.
“The wonder is that you could start life with nothing, end with nothing, and lose so much in between.”
This quote reflects the harsh reality of the characters in Lee County, Virginia, a region struggling with economic hardship and the opioid epidemic. It suggests that despite starting with very little and eventually facing the inevitable nature of living with limited resources, one can experience profound losses and suffering throughout their lives. It highlights the vulnerability of human existence, underscoring the idea that external circumstances and societal challenges can erode the lives of even those who begin with very little. It emphasizes how systemic inequalities and lack of resources can lead to a cycle of loss and hardship for generations.
7.
“There’s this thing that happens, let’s say at school where a bunch of guys are in the bathroom, at the urinal, laughing about some dork that made an anus of himself in gym. You’re all basically nice guys, right? You know right from wrong, and would not in a million years be brutal to the poor guy’s face. And then it happens: the dork was in the shi**er. He comes out of the stall with this look. He heard everything. And you realize you’re not really that nice of a guy. This is what I would say if I could, to all smart people of the world with their dumb hillbilly jokes: We are right here in the stall. We can actually hear you.”
The quote sheds light on the harmful stereotypes and prejudices often directed at individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Demon’s reflection serves as a powerful commentary on the awareness that people like him have regarding the hurtful jokes and assumptions made about their culture and intelligence. This awareness dispels the notion that such jokes go unnoticed or are harmless, emphasizing their impact on self-esteem and dignity, also reinforcing how when cruelty is exposed, the perpetrators are forced to confront the consequences of their words.
Demon’s intention in sharing this perspective is twofold. He seeks to shame those who engage in stereotyping and perpetuating hurtful jokes by highlighting the awareness of the targeted individuals. Simultaneously, he reminds them that their jokes are not harmless, contributing to the perpetuation of stereotypes and reinforcing biases.
8.
“I think most of humankind would agree, the hard part of high school is the people.”
Throughout the story, Demon encounters various obstacles in his high school life, including bullying, peer pressure, and the difficulties of forming meaningful connections. This quote highlights the notion that, often, the most challenging aspects of high school are not the academic demands but the interpersonal relationships and social hierarchies that adolescents must contend with.
9.
“Keeping secrets from young ears only plants seeds in between them,”
Damon Fields, the protagonist, encounters various secrets and unspoken truths within his family and community. His mother, for instance, keeps aspects of their family’s history hidden, leading to Demon’s confusion and frustration. This secrecy breeds a sense of mistrust and curiosity in Demon, as he struggles to piece together the missing parts of his family’s narrative.
It thus suggests that such secrecy can result in emotional gaps and hinder the development of trust and a sense of belonging within a family. In the case of Demon’s father, the secrecy surrounding his existence ultimately impacts Demon’s quest for self-discovery and reconciliation with his past. It emphasizes the importance of transparency and communication in nurturing healthy family relationships.
10.
“The first to fall in any war are forgotten. No love gets lost over one person’s reckless mistake. Only after it’s a mountain of bodies bagged do we think to raise a flag and call the mistake by a different name, because one downfall times a thousand has got to mean something. It needs its own brand, some point to all the sacrifice.”
The quote mirrors Demon’s journey as he faces adversity and recklessness, both his own and those of the people around him. It suggests that society tends to overlook the struggles of individuals until they culminate into a larger crisis.The idea that the “first to fall” are forgotten implies that individual struggles and losses are often overshadowed or disregarded in the face of larger societal issues. This sentiment resonates with the opioid epidemic and its devastating impact on the region, where countless lives are affected, yet the true human cost often goes unnoticed.
It sheds light on the idea that the true extent of a tragedy or societal issue is only fully comprehended when it affects someone vulnerable, like a child. It alludes to the suffocating circumstances and challenges faced by characters like Demon, particularly in the context of drug addiction and the painkiller epidemic in Lee County. Ultimately, serving as a commentary on the collective indifference or blindness to individual suffering until it reaches a critical point.
