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Right," I said, but it didn't feel very right. I didn't…

“Right," I said, but it didn't feel very right. I didn't want to make it. I wanted to lie down with it and strangle it and kill it and save it and nurse it and kill it again and I wanted to go and forget where I was going and I wanted to change my name and forget my face and I wanted to drink and…” quote by Ottessa Moshfegh
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““Right," I said, but it didn't feel very right. I didn't want to make it. I wanted to lie down with it and strangle it and kill it and save it and nurse it and kill it again and I wanted to go and forget where I was going and I wanted to change my name and forget my face and I wanted to drink and get my head ruined but I certainly hadn't thought about making it. That wasn't anything I'd ever sought out to do.””

Ottessa Moshfegh

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 feels conflicted, wanting to both destroy and preserve a creation, reflecting inner turmoil and avoidance of commitment.

In simple terms: She is torn between creation and destruction, fearing responsibility.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge inner conflict before acting.

Themes

conflict creation self‑destruction

Mood

anxious introspective

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

  • writing
  • therapy
  • personal projects
  • decision making

Key Concepts

psychology existentialism artistic struggle

Questions to Reflect On

  • What is the root of your hesitation?
  • How can you channel conflicting urges productively?
A Different Perspective

Desire to act may be masked by self‑sabotage.

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