--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She married him two years ago for love…" description: "\"“She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought, and he's a good enough man but a devotee of household silence. His idea of marriage is to s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg" --- # She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought… ![“She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought, and he's a good enough man but a devotee of household silence. His idea of marriage is to spray WD-40 on anything that squeaks. ... The quiet only subsides when Harland sleeps and his tonsils make up for lost time.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg) > ““She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought, and he's a good enough man but a devotee of household silence. His idea of marriage is to spray WD-40 on anything that squeaks. ... The quiet only subsides when Harland sleeps and his tonsils make up for lost time. ”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A marriage built on love can be undermined by a partner's avoidance of conflict, leading to quiet tension that surfaces in small, disruptive moments. **In simple terms:** Avoiding conflict creates hidden tension. Key Takeaway Address issues directly. Themes marriage communication silence conflict Mood thoughtful observational Type literary relational When to use this quote - daily life - relationship counseling - parenting Key Concepts avoidance emotional labor family dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does silence affect marital health? - What small actions reveal deeper issues? A Different Perspective Silence may be a coping mechanism, not just neglect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Lost time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-time/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [I think the idea of marriage is very romantic; it's a beautiful idea, and the practice of it can be a very beautiful thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-johansson/i-think-the-idea-of-marriage-is-very-romantic-it-s-a-beautiful-idea/) [Scarlett Johansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-johansson/) > [The very idea of marriage is basic to recognition as equals in our society any status short of that is inferior, unjust, and unconstitutional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-olson/the-very-idea-of-marriage-is-basic-to-recognition-as-equals-in-our/) [Ted Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-olson/) > [The Christian idea of marriage is based on Christ's words that a man and wife are to be regarded as a single organism -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-christian-idea-of-marriage-is-based-on-christ-s-words-that-a-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No matter how free divorce, how frequently marriages break up, in most societies there is the assumption of permanent mating, of the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/no-matter-how-free-divorce-how-frequently-marriages-break-up-in-most/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I think long-lasting, healthy relationships are more important than the idea of marriage. At the root of every successful marriage is a strong partnership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-daly/i-think-long-lasting-healthy-relationships-are-more-important-than/) [Carson Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-daly/) > [Open marriage' is an invention of a feminist era. The idea is to have a marriage where dalliances are tolerated or even encouraged for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-marcotte/open-marriage-is-an-invention-of-a-feminist-era-the-idea-is-to-have-a/) [Amanda Marcotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-marcotte/) > [The mere idea of marriage, as a strong possibility, if not always nowadays a reasonable likelihood, existing to weaken the will by distracting its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bolitho/the-mere-idea-of-marriage-as-a-strong-possibility-if-not-always/) [William Bolitho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bolitho/) > [The idea that marriage has to be for all time - that I don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/the-idea-that-marriage-has-to-be-for-all-time-that-i-don-t-understand/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [I had no idea that marriage was only supposed to be between two people who wanted to get between the sheets and make more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-kirkman/i-had-no-idea-that-marriage-was-only-supposed-to-be-between-two/) [Jen Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-kirkman/) > [I do think there is much truth in the Young German idea that marriage is a shockingly immoral institution, as well as what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/i-do-think-there-is-much-truth-in-the-young-german-idea-that-marriage/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [On the one hand, the idea of marriage and the sort of traditional family life repulses me. But on the other hand, I long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/on-the-one-hand-the-idea-of-marriage-and-the-sort-of-traditional/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I have an idea of marriage as being a sharing type of deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-aikman/i-have-an-idea-of-marriage-as-being-a-sharing-type-of-deal/) [Troy Aikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-aikman/) > [I'm with someone who makes me incredibly happy. I'm not one of those people who subscribes to the idea that marriage takes the romance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-blunt/i-m-with-someone-who-makes-me-incredibly-happy-i-m-not-one-of-those/) [Emily Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-blunt/) > [The idea of marriage and children isn't at the front of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-jessie/the-idea-of-marriage-and-children-isn-t-at-the-front-of-my-mind/) [Claudia Jessie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-jessie/) > [I say I never wanna get married. I feel trapped with the idea of marriage. How can you really be with somebody forever? I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-bynes/i-say-i-never-wanna-get-married-i-feel-trapped-with-the-idea-of/) [Amanda Bynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-bynes/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought, and he's a good enough man but a devotee of household silence. His idea of marriage is to spray WD-40 on anything that squeaks. ... The quiet only subsides when Harland sleeps and his tonsils make up for lost time. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Kingsolver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-or-so-she-thought-and-he-s-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Family" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-or-so-she-thought-and-he-s-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/barbara-kingsolver-200_family_she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-o_2788696.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She married him two years ago for love, or so she thought, and he's a good enough man but a devotee of…” — Barbara Kingsolver", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barbara Kingsolver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She married him two years ago...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-or-so-she-thought-and-he-s-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/she-married-him-two-years-ago-for-love-or-so-she-thought-and-he-s-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```