Arms Quote by Anzia Yezierska
“At last I came to college. I rushed for it with the outstretched arms of youth's aching hunger to give and take of life's deepest, and highest, and I came against the solid wall of the well-fed, well-dressed world - the frigid whitewashed wall of cleanliness. ... How I pinched, and scraped, and starved myself, to save enough to come to college! Every cent of the tuition fee I paid was drops of sweat and blood from underpaid laundry work. And what did I get for it? A crushed spirit, a broken heart, a stinging sense of poverty that I never felt before.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska, 1925
The narrator sacrifices everything to access education, only to confront harsh socioeconomic disparity and emotional toll.
In simple terms: Hard work for education can lead to disillusionment and poverty.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the hidden costs of ambition.
Themes
education
poverty
sacrifice
disillusionment
class
identity
Mood
sorrowful
reflective
critical
Type
literary
personal
social commentary
When to use this quote
- college tuition
- low‑wage work
- immigrant experience
- mental health
- financial strain
Key Concepts
social mobility
economic inequality
psychological impact
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the true costs of pursuing education?
- How can societies reduce such inequities?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize struggle without acknowledging systemic barriers.
