Ocean Quote by Alice McDermott
““They’re all in church,” he said and saw the flush of guilt, or of wind, on her broad cheeks. The wind lifted his own thinning hair—those long strands he combed back over his crown—made it stand, briefly, on end. Something done right—at least so far—this suggestion of his, whispered to the ceiling this morning, his hand on her thigh. That they skip Mass just this once and head to the beach. Some weeks ago, a tropical wave had slipped off the African coast, as if (he’d thought, reading the account) the continent itself had shuddered, and moved into the waters of the south seas, stirring the ocean and the air and the various inhabitants of small islands and southern shorelines, until finally it woke him this morning at dawn with the sound of the wind in the eaves, with some memory or dream of the Ardennes, and a hankering to see what the shudder of a continent did to the waters off Jones Beach.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Lost Daughter, 2008
A man wrestles with guilt and desire, using a spontaneous beach trip to escape routine and confront inner conflict.
In simple terms: He feels guilty yet seeks freedom at the beach.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and balance desire with responsibility.
Themes
guilt
desire
escape
routine
inner conflict
Mood
conflicted
reflective
Type
literary
narrative
When to use this quote
- marital tension
- spontaneous trips
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
psychology
human behavior
environmental metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the beach symbolize for him?
- How does guilt shape his choices?
A Different Perspective
The escape may be temporary and avoid deeper issues.
