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Then Carol slipped her arm under her neck, and all the length of their bodies touched fitting as if something had prearranged it. Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale white flower, shimmering as if seen in darkness, or through water. Why did people talk of heaven, she wondered
Patricia Highsmith
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote illustrates a profound connection between two people, evoking feelings of happiness and beauty in their union.

This quote captures the essence of intimacy and the deep emotional bond shared between two individuals. The physical closeness is portrayed as something preordained, suggesting that their connection is not just physical but also spiritual. The imagery of happiness as a green vine symbolizes how love can permeate and enrich one's life, while the vision of the white flower hints at purity and the ethereal quality of their shared experience. It poses a contemplative question about the nature of happiness and the afterlife, reflecting on how such connections may evoke thoughts of heaven.

Themes

LoveHappinessConnectionIntimacyBeauty

In practice

Example use cases

In a wedding speech, one might say, 'Just like Carol and her beloved, may your love resonate like a green vine in your lives.'

More from Patricia Highsmith

But there were too many points at which the other self could invade the self he wanted to preserve, and there were too many forms of invasion: certain words, sounds, lights, actions his hands or feet performed, and if he did nothing at all, heard and saw nothing, the shouting of some triumphant inner voice that shocked him and cowed him.
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He liked the fact that Venice had no cars. It made the city human. The streets were like veins, he thought, and the people were the blood, circulating everywhere.
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