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Hugh Todd
Ursula’s younger brother and the second youngest of the Todd children. Teddy seems to be everyone’s favorite, including Ursula’s. He is adorable as a boy, in complete contrast to Maurice, and as he gets older he and Ursula grow closer and closer. Teddy studies at Oxford before he decides that he wants to be a farmer and write poetry. He also starts a romance with one of their neighbors, Nancy Shawcross. Ursula thinks that she would do anything for Teddy, and he shows himself willing to do anything for her as well. When Ursula’s abusive husband, Derek Oliphant, follows her to Izzie’s apartment, Teddy tries to step in and prevent Derek from beating her to death. Teddy’s life is upended with the beginning of World War II; he enlists as a pilot and is eventually shot down. In some timelines, it is unclear whether he lives or dies, but the final timeline sees him reunite with Ursula and Nancy, highlighting the importance of their bond.
Edward (“Teddy”) Todd Quotes in Life After Life
The Life After Life quotes below are all either spoken by Edward (“Teddy”) Todd or refer to Edward (“Teddy”) Todd. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
War (I), Jul 1914
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Motherhood was her responsibility, her destiny. It was, lacking anything else (and what else could there be?), her life.
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A Lovely Day Tomorrow (I), Nov 1940
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“Could you do that? Could you kill a baby? With a gun? Or what if you had no gun, how about with your bare hands? In cold blood.”
If I thought it would save Teddy, Ursula thought. Not just Teddy, of course, the rest of the world, too.
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A Long Hard War, May 1941
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“We only have one after all, we should try and do our best. We can never get it right, but we must try.” (The transformation was complete.)
“What if we had a chance to do it again and again,” Teddy said, “until we finally did get it right? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
“I think it would be exhausting.”
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The Broad Sunlit Uplands, May 1945
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Ursula stayed where she was, worried suddenly that if she moved it would all disappear, the whole happy scene break into pieces before her eyes. But then she thought, no, this was real, this was true, and she laughed with uncomplicated joy as Teddy let go of Nancy long enough to stand to attention and give Ursula a smart salute.
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Edward (“Teddy”) Todd Quotes in Life After Life
The Life After Life quotes below are all either spoken by Edward (“Teddy”) Todd or refer to Edward (“Teddy”) Todd. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
War (I), Jul 1914
Quotes
Motherhood was her responsibility, her destiny. It was, lacking anything else (and what else could there be?), her life.
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Explanation and Analysis:
A Lovely Day Tomorrow (I), Nov 1940
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“Could you do that? Could you kill a baby? With a gun? Or what if you had no gun, how about with your bare hands? In cold blood.”
If I thought it would save Teddy, Ursula thought. Not just Teddy, of course, the rest of the world, too.
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Explanation and Analysis:
A Long Hard War, May 1941
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“We only have one after all, we should try and do our best. We can never get it right, but we must try.” (The transformation was complete.)
“What if we had a chance to do it again and again,” Teddy said, “until we finally did get it right? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
“I think it would be exhausting.”
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The Broad Sunlit Uplands, May 1945
Quotes
Ursula stayed where she was, worried suddenly that if she moved it would all disappear, the whole happy scene break into pieces before her eyes. But then she thought, no, this was real, this was true, and she laughed with uncomplicated joy as Teddy let go of Nancy long enough to stand to attention and give Ursula a smart salute.
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