The labor into which a heart has poured its whole love--where will it have its say, to excite and inspire, and when?
Yasunari KawabataRead
The woman was silent, her eyes on the floor. Shimamura had come to a point where he knew he was only parading his masculine shamelessness, and yet it seemed likely enough that the woman was familiar with the failing and need not be shocked by it. He looked at her. Perhaps it was the rich lashes of the downcast eyes that made her face seem warm and sensuous. She shook her head very slightly, and again a faint blush spread over her face.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote explores the complexities of human interaction and unspoken emotions between a man and a woman.
In this passage, Yasunari Kawabata presents a moment of silent connection filled with unexpressed feelings and vulnerabilities. The man's self-awareness of his 'masculine shamelessness' contrasts with the woman's quiet demeanor, as her body language and blushing suggest an internal acknowledgment of their emotional interplay, illustrating the subtle and often unspoken dynamics in relationships.
Themes
RelationshipsEmotionVulnerabilitySilent ConnectionMasculinity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the complexities of love, one might say, 'As expressed by Kawabata, sometimes the deepest connections are felt in silence.'
More from Yasunari Kawabata
All quotes →The road was frozen. The village lay quiet under the cold sky. Komako hitched up the skirt of her kimono and tucked it into her obi. The moon shone like a blade frozen in blue ice.
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The winter moon becomes a companion, the heart of the priest, sunk in meditation upon religion and philosophy, there in the mountain hall, is engaged in a delicate interplay and exchange with the moon; and it is this of which the poet sings.
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Put your soul in the palm of my hand for me to look at, like a crystal jewel. I'll sketch it in words.
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Lunatics have no age. If we were crazy, you and I, we might be a great deal younger.
Yasunari KawabataRead
But, drawn to her at that moment, he felt a quiet like the voice of the rain flow over him. He knew well enough that for her it was in fact no waste of effort, but somehow the final determination that it was had the effect of distilling and purifying the woman's existence.
Yasunari KawabataRead
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