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Adore Quote by Arundhati Roy

“And when we look in through the windows, all we see are shadows. And when we try and listen, all we hear is a whispering. And we cannot understand the whispering, because our minds have been invaded by a war. A war that we have both won and lost. The very worst sort of war. A war that captures…” quote by Arundhati Roy
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“And when we look in through the windows, all we see are shadows. And when we try and listen, all we hear is a whispering. And we cannot understand the whispering, because our minds have been invaded by a war. A war that we have both won and lost. The very worst sort of war. A war that captures dreams and re-dreams them. A war that has made us adore our conquerors and despise ourselves.”

Arundhati Roy

About This Quote

Source Novel: The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy, 1997

The passage depicts a society numb to reality, where war—both external and internal—distorts perception, silences truth, and forces people to idolize oppressors while self‑despising.

In simple terms: War clouds perception and silences truth.

Key Takeaway

Question the narratives that shape your reality.

Themes

war perception self‑identity oppression illusion

Mood

somber reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • political activism
  • mental health awareness
  • education reform
  • media literacy

Key Concepts

post‑colonial trauma psychological conflict cultural critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does conflict shape your self‑image?
  • What narratives do you accept without question?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor of war may oversimplify complex personal and societal struggles.

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