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[On her mother:] I was in nervous flight from her ever…

“[On her mother:] I was in nervous flight from her ever since I can remember anything, and from the age of fourteen I set myself obdurately against her in a kind of inner emigration from everything she represented. Girls do have to grow up, but has this battle always been so implacable?” quote by Doris Lessing
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“[On her mother:] I was in nervous flight from her ever since I can remember anything, and from the age of fourteen I set myself obdurately against her in a kind of inner emigration from everything she represented. Girls do have to grow up, but has this battle always been so implacable?”

Doris Lessing

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator describes a lifelong emotional exile from her mother, questioning if this conflict is inevitable

In simple terms: A deep, lasting mother‑daughter conflict feels unresolvable

Key Takeaway

A emotional boundaries with parents

Themes

family psychology conflict

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

  • therapeutic counseling
  • family mediation
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

emotional exile inner emigration

Questions to Reflect On

  • What aspects of the mother’s behavior trigger this exile?
  • Can reconciliation be achieved through dialogue?
A Different Perspective

The conflict may be rooted in misunderstandings, not inevitability

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