The heaventree of stars hung with humid nightblue fruit.
James JoyceRead
It was cold autumn weather, but in spite of the cold they wandered up and down the roads of the Park for nearly three hours. They agreed to break off their intercourse; every bond, he said, is a bond to sorrow.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the inevitability of sorrow in human connections, even amidst moments of companionship.
In this quote, James Joyce expresses a profound observation about the nature of relationships and personal connections. He suggests that while companionship can provide warmth and joy, it also comes with the inherent risk of sorrow and heartbreak. The characters' decision to part ways symbolizes the complexity of human emotions, where the warmth of friendship or love is often shadowed by the pain that can accompany such bonds.
Themes
SorrowBondRelationshipsHuman EmotionsCompanionshipAutumn
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the complexities of relationships, one could use this quote to illustrate the bittersweet nature of love.
More from James Joyce
All quotes →I think a child should be allowed to take his father's or mother's name at will on coming of age. Paternity is a legal fiction.
James JoyceRead
If he had smiled why would he have smiled? To reflect that each one who enters imagines himself to be the first to enter whereas he is always the last term of a preceding series even if the first term of a succeeding one, each imagining himself to be first, last, only and alone whereas he is neither first nor last nor only nor alone in a series originating in and repeated to infinity.
James JoyceRead
Gentle lady, do not sing Sad songs about the end of love; Lay aside sadness and sing How love that passes is enough. Sing about the long deep sleep Of lovers that are dead, and how In the grave all love shall sleep: Love is aweary now.
James JoyceRead
I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.
James JoyceRead
The movements which work revolutions in the world are born out of the dreams and visions in a peasant's heart on the hillside.
James JoyceRead
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