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Breaking apart Quote by Alice Munro

“Here they found themselves year after year- a group of busy, youngish women who had eased their cars impatiently through the archaic streets of Rosedale, who had complained for a week previously about the time lost, the fuss over the children's dresses, and, above all, the boredom, but who were…” quote by Alice Munro
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““Here they found themselves year after year- a group of busy, youngish women who had eased their cars impatiently through the archaic streets of Rosedale, who had complained for a week previously about the time lost, the fuss over the children's dresses, and, above all, the boredom, but who were drawn together by a rather implausible allegiance- not so much to Miss Marsalles as to the ceremonies of their childhood, to a more exacting pattern of life which had been breaking apart even then but which survived, and unaccountably still survived, in Miss Marsalles's living room.””

Alice Munro

About This Quote

Source Short Story: “The Love of a Good Woman”, 1999

Women find comfort in shared childhood rituals, preserving identity amid changing surroundings.

In simple terms: Shared memories bind people together.

Key Takeaway

Value communal traditions.

Themes

memory community identity

Mood

nostalgic contemplative

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

  • family gatherings
  • neighborhood events
  • cultural festivals
  • personal storytelling

Key Concepts

Nostalgia social cohesion

Questions to Reflect On

  • What rituals sustain you?
  • How do shared memories shape personal identity?
A Different Perspective

Rituals can become exclusionary.

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