It was as if she had spoken slightingly of a woman he…
““It was as if she had spoken slightingly of a woman he loved. For he dreamed of peace by day and night. Once in sleep it had appeared to him as the great glowing shoulder of the moon heaving across his window like an iceberg, arctic and destructive in the moment before the world was struck: by day he tried to win a few moments of its company, crouched under the rusting handcuffs in the locked office, reading the reports from the sub-stations. Peace seemed to him the most beautiful word in the language: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you: O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace. In the Mass he pressed his fingers against his eyes to keep the tears of longing in.””
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 depicts a yearning for peace amidst inner turmoil and longing, using religious imagery to highlight the conflict between desire and spiritual solace.
In simple terms: A desperate search for peace in a troubled heart.
Key Takeaway
Seek inner calm despite external chaos.
Themes
longing
spirituality
conflict
peace
desire
Mood
melancholy
contemplative
hopeful
Type
literary
reflective
spiritual
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- religious contemplation
- nighttime reflection
- office stress
Key Concepts
existentialism
religious symbolism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does peace mean to you in moments of distress?
- How can spiritual rituals help soothe inner conflict?
A Different Perspective
Peace may be fleeting when external pressures dominate.