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And she would feel that sharp loneliness she had felt…

“And she would feel that sharp loneliness she had felt every long evening since she was a child. It was the kind of loneliness that made clocks seem slow and loud and made voices sound like voices across water. Old women she had known, first her grandmother and then her mother, rocked on their…” quote by Marilynne Robinson
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““And she would feel that sharp loneliness she had felt every long evening since she was a child. It was the kind of loneliness that made clocks seem slow and loud and made voices sound like voices across water. Old women she had known, first her grandmother and then her mother, rocked on their porches in the evenings and sang sad songs, and did not wish to be spoken to.””

Marilynne Robinson

About This Quote

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

Loneliness can feel oppressive, making time drag and voices distant, reflecting deep emotional isolation.

In simple terms: Loneliness makes time slow and voices distant.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge and address deep loneliness.

Themes

loneliness time perception emotional isolation

Mood

melancholic introspective

Type

literary emotional

When to use this quote

  • elder care
  • mental health counseling
  • creative writing
  • support groups

Key Concepts

existential solitude psychology of grief narrative voice

Questions to Reflect On

  • What coping mechanisms help ease profound loneliness?
  • How does community support alter this feeling?
A Different Perspective

Loneliness may be intensified by aging and loss.

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