It seems to me that the chief thing about a woman - who is…
“It seems to me that the chief thing about a woman - who is much of a woman - is that in the long run she is not to be had... She is not to be caught by any of the catch-words, love, beauty, honor, duty, worth, work, salvation - none of them - not in the long run. In the long run she only says Am I satisfied, or is there some beastly dissatisfaction gnawing and gnawing inside me. And if there is some dissatisfaction, it is physical, at least as much as psychic, sex as much as soul.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage argues that a woman's ultimate concern is personal satisfaction, not external labels or duties, and that dissatisfaction can be both physical and psychic.
In simple terms: A woman's true focus is inner fulfillment over societal expectations.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize authentic personal satisfaction.
Themes
gender
identity
existentialism
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- relationship counseling
- career decisions
- health assessments
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
authenticity
psychosomatics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define personal satisfaction?
- What role do societal expectations play in your fulfillment?
A Different Perspective
May generalize women's experiences.