They are all alike you know. They hold their tongues for years and you think you're safe, but when the opportunity comes they remember everything.
Edith WhartonRead
She was not accustomed to taste the joys of solitude except in company.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that the speaker finds comfort and joy in solitude only when she is with others, highlighting a paradox of companionship and loneliness.
Edith Wharton's quote reflects on the complex nature of solitude and companionship. It implies that while solitude can often be seen as a time for introspection and enjoyment of oneβs own company, for some, the true joy of being alone can only be experienced in the presence of others. This perspective points to the intertwined nature of our relationships and personal experiences, suggesting that the emotional response to solitude is significantly influenced by social interactions.
Themes
SolitudeCompanionshipJoyRelationshipsLoneliness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about the importance of friendships and social bonds in our personal lives.
More from Edith Wharton
All quotes βThey seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if they had surprised a butterfly in the winter woods
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Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.
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And I wonder, among all the tangles of this mortal coil, which one contains tighter knots to undo, & consequently suggests more tugging, & pain, & diversified elements of misery, than the marriage tie.
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As he paid the hansom and followed his wife's long train into the house he took refuge in the comforting platitude that the first six months were always the most difficult in marriage. 'After that I suppose we shall have pretty nearly finished rubbing off each otherβs angles,' he reflected; but the worst of it was that May's pressure was already bearing on the very angles whose sharpness he most wanted to keep
Edith WhartonRead
There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it.
Edith WhartonRead
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