Every island to a child is a treasure island.
P. D. JamesRead
The weekend break had begun with the usual resentment and had continued with half-repressed ill humour. It was, of course, his fault. He had been more ready to hurt his wife's feelings and deprive his daughter than inconvenience a pub bar full of strangers. He wished there could be one memory of his dead child which wasn't tainted with guilt and regret.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects deep emotional turmoil associated with loss and regret within familial relationships.
This quote by P. D. James explores the heavy burden of guilt that can accompany the loss of a loved one, particularly within the context of family dynamics. The narrator expresses a painful realization of prioritizing external social interactions over the emotional needs of his wife and daughter, resulting in a wish for cherished memories of his deceased child that are free from the shadow of guilt and regret. It highlights the complex emotions that arise from grief and the often conflicted relationships that can ensue.
Themes
GuiltRegretLossFamilyRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a family counseling session to discuss the effects of grief on relationships.
More from P. D. James
All quotes →If from infancy you treat children as gods, they are liable in adulthood to act as devils.
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I believe that political correctness can be a form of linguistic fascism, and it sends shivers down the spine of my generation who went to war against fascism.
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What a child doesn't receive he can seldom later give.
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Open your mind to new experiences, particularly to the study of other people. Nothing that happens to a writer – however happy, however tragic – is ever wasted.
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It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life.
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