Sitting on the edge Quote by Andrew Sean Greer
““Margaret herself hadn't known her body was a parish bell tolling at every heartbreak she heard of, and that night with Pete calmly sitting on the edge of her favorite chair, invading her private room with words this room was sealed from, she felt it just as a bell would. It struck her right inside, until her bronze skin rang out the news. Not of Pete's story, which had not even made him cry, but some other story she'd been trying not to tell herself. So she sat stiffly there and wept, clanging and clanging like a thing that tested its own breaking.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The World According to Garp, 1978
A woman feels her deep empathy for others' pain as a resonant bell within her, exposing hidden emotions she tries to suppress.
In simple terms: She experiences others' sorrow as a personal, painful echo.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge and process shared pain.
Themes
empathy
vulnerability
self‑awareness
emotional resonance
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
emotional
When to use this quote
- grieving a friend's loss
- counseling sessions
- artistic expression
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
psychology
literary metaphor
human connection
Questions to Reflect On
- How does feeling others' pain affect your own wellbeing?
- What boundaries help protect you from emotional overload?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may romanticize suffering, overlooking practical coping strategies.
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