His whole body shakes with the strain as he tries to lift something he knows he can't lift, something everybody knows he can't lift. But, for just a second, when we hear the cement grind at our feet, we think, by golly, he might do it.
Ken KeseyRead
No one's ever dared come out and say it before, but there's not a man among us that doesn't think it, that doesn't feel just as you do about her and the whole business - feel it somewhere down deep in his scared little soul.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the shared vulnerability and unspoken thoughts people have about love and relationships.
Ken Kesey's quote highlights the unexpressed emotions that many individuals harbor regarding a specific person or situation. It suggests that beneath the surface, everyone grapples with similar insecurities and fears in matters of love, revealing a deep-seated connection among individuals despite their reluctance to openly voice these feelings.
Themes
EmotionsRelationshipsVulnerabilityLoveFear
In practice
Example use cases
During a heartfelt discussion on love in a book club.
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He was in his chair in the corner, resting a second before he came out for the next round -- in a long line of next rounds. The thing he was fighting, you couldn't whip it for good. All you could do was keep on whipping it, till you couldn't come out anymore and somebody else had to take your place.
Ken KeseyRead
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