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She came right up to me and put her snow-white hand on my…

“She came right up to me and put her snow-white hand on my arm. "You poor boy," she murmured, "you poor boy." I'm not a boy, and I'm not poor, and I wished the hell she would get away. She has a clever face, but I felt in it, that night, the force of a great sadness and great malice. "I see a rope…” quote by John Cheever
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““She came right up to me and put her snow-white hand on my arm. "You poor boy," she murmured, "you poor boy." I'm not a boy, and I'm not poor, and I wished the hell she would get away. She has a clever face, but I felt in it, that night, the force of a great sadness and great malice. "I see a rope around your neck," she said sadly.””

John Cheever

About This Quote

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

A mysterious figure offers sympathy, but the narrator feels both sadness and malice, hinting at complex emotional undercurrents.

In simple terms: A strange encounter mixes pity with hidden hostility.

Key Takeaway

Be wary of seemingly kind gestures.

Themes

sadness malice sympathy trust illusion

Mood

uneasy reflective

Type

narrative psychological

When to use this quote

  • night walks
  • lonely moments
  • unexpected encounters

Key Concepts

psychology human behavior emotion

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the rope symbolize?
  • How do you interpret mixed signals?
A Different Perspective

Kindness may conceal ulterior motives.

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