In this economy, hope’s like anything else. When it comes to love, a savvy consumer can always get an upgrade. But hope isn’t an escape clause. It isn’t a getaway car. Hope’s more like telling the girl you want to marry how great a husband you’ll be and then going and being that person. You can shout and sloganeer about hope all you want. But it won’t matter. Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s full of requirements.

— Jeffrey Eugenides, Marketplace: Literary Voices