From "Lady In Waiting" in the anthology The Morgue : Now I…
““From "Lady In Waiting" in the anthology The Morgue : Now I have yet to meet the corpse could hold up its end of a conversation, so at most I might whistle while fixin’ one up ‘stead of engagin’ myself in any small talk that’s goin’ to be so one-sided anyways. But Cindy Flowers’ corpse weren’t no ordinary body when it walked upright, and it sure weren’t ordinary just because it was lyin’ before me in a pine wood box. So for the first time I felt the need to get a few things said to one of our visitors, and I leaned down to get myself real close to her face. Her eyes was closed ‘cause Pa had already sewed her lids shut.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A narrator describes a corpse that cannot converse, leading to a one‑sided, eerie interaction, highlighting the uncanny and the desire for communication with the dead.
In simple terms: A dead body can't talk, so the narrator feels compelled to speak to it.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge the strange and seek closure.
Themes
death
communication
uncanny
loneliness
storytelling
Mood
eerie
reflective
dark
Type
narrative
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- creative writing
- psychological introspection
- ghost stories
Key Concepts
anthropomorphism
existential dread
narrative voice
Questions to Reflect On
- What does speaking to the dead reveal about the narrator?
- How does this scene affect your sense of mortality?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure literal meaning for some readers.