--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She knew exactly how she ought to feel…" description: "\"“She knew exactly how she ought to feel, for she was well read in our greater and lesser English poets, but the unfortunate fact was that she did not r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/012/barbara-pym-7049_heart_she-knew-exactly-how-she-ought-to-feel-f_637947.jpg" --- # She knew exactly how she ought to feel, for she was well… ![“She knew exactly how she ought to feel, for she was well read in our greater and lesser English poets, but the unfortunate fact was that she did not really like being kissed at all.” quote by Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/012/barbara-pym-7049_heart_she-knew-exactly-how-she-ought-to-feel-f_637947.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/012/barbara-pym-7049_heart_she-knew-exactly-how-she-ought-to-feel-f_637947.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/012/barbara-pym-7049_heart_she-knew-exactly-how-she-ought-to-feel-f_637947.jpg) > ““She knew exactly how she ought to feel, for she was well read in our greater and lesser English poets, but the unfortunate fact was that she did not really like being kissed at all.”” [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She is educated in poetry but resists intimacy, highlighting conflict between intellectual expectations and personal desire. **In simple terms:** Knowledge doesn’t guarantee comfort with affection. Key Takeaway Respect personal boundaries. Themes intimacy literature self-awareness Mood thoughtful conflicted Type literary observational When to use this quote - dating - literary analysis - personal growth Key Concepts romantic expectations social norms Questions to Reflect On - Why might someone resist affection despite cultural knowledge? - How does intellectualism affect emotional expression? A Different Perspective May overlook emotional nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [English Poets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-poets/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Kissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kissing/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poets/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [Shelley and Keats were the last English poets who were at all up to date in their chemical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/shelley-and-keats-were-the-last-english-poets-who-were-at-all-up-to/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [“I am not sure that the best way to make a boy love the English poets might not be forbid him to read them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/i-am-not-sure-that-the-best-way-to-make-a-boy-love-the-english-poets/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“He wasn’t sure how he ought to feel about this. On the other hand . . . boiled meat!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-wasn-t-sure-how-he-ought-to-feel-about-this-on-the-other-hand/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I think people ought to do what they feel useful at the time. 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