Artists are not cheerleaders, and we're not the heads of tourism boards. We expose and discuss what is problematic, what is contradictory, what is hurtful and what is silenced in the culture we're in.
Junot DiazRead
I can see myself watching him shave every morning. And at other time I see us in that house and see how one bright day (or a day like this, so cold your mind shifts every time the wind does) he will wake up and decide it's all wrong. I'm sorry, he'll say. I have to leave now.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the complexities of intimacy and the fear of loss in a close relationship.
In this quote, Junot Diaz reflects on the anticipation of a typical morning routine intertwined with the anxiety of potential separation. The imagery of watching someone shave signifies intimacy and familiarity, while the coldness and shifting of the wind metaphorically represent the unpredictable nature of emotions and relationships. The bittersweet farewell suggests a deep emotional connection but also the inevitable fears of heartbreak and change.
Themes
RelationshipsIntimacyFearLossMorningChange
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the fears inherent in long-term relationships during a relationship counseling session.
More from Junot Diaz
All quotes →Run a hand through your hair, like the white boys do, even though the only thing that runs easily through your hair is Africa.
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Migration gives a blank cheque to put anything you don't feel like addressing in the memory hold. No neighbours can go against the monster narrative of your family.
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We all dream dreams of unity, of purity; we all dream that there's an authoritative voice out there that will explain things, including ourselves.
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I think 90% of my ideas evaporate because I have a terrible memory and because I seem to be committed to not scribble anything down. As soon as I write it down, my mind rejects it.
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When I read Toni Morrison and Sandra Cisneros as a freshman at Rutgers, it all clicked - that writing was all I wanted to do. It became my calling.
Junot DiazRead
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