Each person’s life is dominated by a central event, which shapes and distorts everything that comes after it and, in retrospect, everything that came before.
Suketu MehtaRead
It was when I realised I had a new nationality: I was in exile. I am an adulterous resident: when I am in one city, I am dreaming of the other. I am an exile; citizen of the country of longing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the feeling of being torn between two places, illustrating the pain of longing for a home that may no longer exist.
Suketu Mehta's quote speaks to the profound experience of feeling like an outsider, simultaneously belonging to two places yet feeling at home in neither. The concept of exile is not merely a physical state but a deep emotional reality where one's identity is shaped by longing and the unfulfilled desire for connection to a place that resonates with their innermost self.
Themes
ExileLongingIdentityNationalityBelonging
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about migration and identity, this quote can highlight the emotional struggles faced by expatriates.
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