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He was a boy, just a boy, when I was a very young girl. When I was sixteen, I made the discovery - love. All at once and much, much too completely. It was like you suddenly turned a blinding on something that had always been half in shadow, that's how it struck the world for me. But I was unlucky. Deluded.
Tennessee Williams
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects the overwhelming and illuminating experience of discovering love as a young person, while also hinting at the complexities and potential disappointments that can come with it.

In this quote, Tennessee Williams expresses the profound impact of first love experienced in youth. He describes it as a sudden revelation that casts light on feelings and emotions that were previously obscured, capturing both the beauty and intensity of that experience. However, he also acknowledges the potential for disillusionment, suggesting that such intense feelings can lead to misjudgments or unrealistic expectations.

Themes

LoveDiscoveryYouthDisillusionmentEmotion

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the challenges of young love, this quote can illustrate the overwhelming feelings that accompany first experiences of love.

More from Tennessee Williams

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The rest of my days I'm going to spend on the sea. And when I die, I'm going to die on the sea. You know what I shall die of? I shall die of eating an unwashed grape. One day out on the ocean I will die — with my hand in the hand of some nice-looking ship's doctor, a very young one with a small blond moustache and a big silver watch.
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Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.
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