In her novels, E. L. James shared her ideology through quotes. From quotes on love, hate, and trauma, she has spoken to her audience through the voices of her characters. As a writer, she made a name for herself as her work has become a beacon in the erotic romance genre.
Finding Love
You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince.
Before Anastasia met Christian, she never accepted the proposal of people interested in her. She makes this quote trying to explain her reasoning, and though it sounds archaic, she likens love to a fairy tale where one has to sieve through many people to find the person they love.
Perception
I do not look at the world in terms of black and white – and I find people who do rather scary. I think it’s all shades of grey.
The quote above explains there are no certainties in the world, as many random events can have an instantaneous effect. It shows that the randomness in people’s actions makes the world a flurry mixture of emotions, perceptions, and beliefs.
Desire
I’ve never wanted more, until I met you.
Christian makes the quote above. When he meets Ana initially, he decides that he wants to own her. However, he tells her that he is gradually falling for her after noticing that her presence makes him a better person.
Love
I can’t bear to hurt you because I love you.
Christian knows one thing; he is a monster. Though he tries to get rid of his desires, he cannot escape his past. After meeting Ana, he notices that he wants more than sex from her. However, his past trauma brings out the darkest in him. He makes the quote above telling Ana that though he is trauma plagued, he will never hurt her. E. L. James uses this quote to show that love can make one fight their darkest nature.
You’re the only person I’d fly three thousand miles to see.
Love makes people do things they would never imagine they could do. In the case of Christian and Ana, love makes the eccentric and controlling Christian seek redemption. E. L. James uses this quote to explain that love makes even the stiffest of hearts soft.
We always hurt the ones we love.
Love makes us do the weirdest and craziest things, but it makes us so blind that we sometimes hurt the people we love. Christian, blinded by his desire for Ana, failed to realize that he was hurting her emotionally; this led to their breakup.
Relationships
Any relationship that you have is about negotiation – anything – whether there is a written contract or not.
The quote above explains that a relationship is about negotiation and agreement. It shows that when two people fall for each other, they automatically enter into an agreement where they consider each other’s feelings before making decisions.
Money
Only when the last leaf has fallen, the last tree has died, and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money.
The quote above explains the concept of money in the modern world. It shows how people have turned money from a tool of exchange to a necessity of living. Though money is necessary, it is not something that will ensure humanity’s survival in the future.
Pain
It is much easier to wear your pain on the outside.
Pain is something that we humans experience. It can be physical or emotional, but one thing about pain is it never leaves until one closes the source. The quote above explains that most people prefer to show their pain on the outside because it helps them cope better. Internal pain slowly eats away at one’s hopes and dreams of the future, so most people protect themselves by pushing out their pain. Christian tries to push out his pain by becoming dominant. However, his coping mechanism becomes unstable as Ana enters his life; this causes him to admit that his trauma is indeed a problem.
I see your pain. It’s hard knowing that I’m the one that has made you feel this way.
After meeting Christian, Ana watches her life take a downward spiral. She finds herself longing for someone whose character spells danger for her. Even when she realizes Christian’s unique sexual taste, she decides to stick to him, hoping to have a healthy relationship someday. However, Christian notices that his attitude and actions have broken Ana more than he thought. He realizes that his past trauma had become a path for projecting his pain unto her. Christian makes this quote by admitting to Ana that he is a blockade to her happiness.
FAQs
What are some quotes that show Christian made Ana feel terrible in Fifty Shades of Grey?
Here are some quotes that show Ana’s thoughts after getting humiliated:
“Embarrassment and shame wash over me. I’m a complete failure. I had hoped to drag my Fifty Shades into the light, but it’s proved a task beyond my meager abilities.”
“I fall onto my bed, shoes and all, and howl. The pain is indescribable… physical, mental… metaphysical… it is everywhere, seeping into the marrow of my bones. Grief.”
Is E. L. James good with quotes?
One thing that is hard to find in E. L. James’s writing is good quotes that explain concepts of life and love to its reader. For most of the novel, the quotes get directed at romance, sex, and love.
Is E. L. James just lucky with the success of her books?
Many factors made the Fifty Shades Trilogy become one of the most-sold series ever. The primary factor in the book’s success was fanfiction. Because Fifty Shades was the fanfiction version of a high-selling novel series, ‘Twilight,’ it got the attention of many ‘Twilight’ fans, giving it access to millions of people.
Do people like E. L. James?
E. L. James has a mixed base of people who read her novels. The first is the fans that enjoy her stories and show their love for her. The second is people who hate everything that makes up her novels and would prefer to stay in a room with anything or anyone besides her.
