--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I want to be held down. I don't know…" description: "\"And I want to be held down. I don't know what to do with the horrifying freedom that can destroy me.\" — Clarice Lispector" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/clarice-lispector-1401_freedom_and-i-want-to-be-held-down-i-don-t-know_1239517.jpg" --- # And I want to be held down. I don't know what to do with… ![“And I want to be held down. I don't know what to do with the horrifying freedom that can destroy me.” quote by Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/clarice-lispector-1401_freedom_and-i-want-to-be-held-down-i-don-t-know_1239517.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/clarice-lispector-1401_freedom_and-i-want-to-be-held-down-i-don-t-know_1239517.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/033/clarice-lispector-1401_freedom_and-i-want-to-be-held-down-i-don-t-know_1239517.jpg) > “And I want to be held down. I don't know what to do with the horrifying freedom that can destroy me.” [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels overwhelmed by limitless possibilities, fearing that unbounded freedom may lead to self-destruction. **In simple terms:** Freedom feels terrifying and paralyzing. Key Takeaway Embrace choices gradually, seek guidance. Themes freedom anxiety identity self-doubt existentialism Mood conflicted introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative block - career decision - relationship uncertainty Key Concepts existential dread psychological conflict autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel freedom into constructive action? - What anchors can you create to avoid feeling lost? A Different Perspective Freedom alone does not guarantee fulfillment; support and purpose are needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ## Related quotes > [“Adarlan could take their freedom, it could destroy their lives and beat and whip them, it could force them into ridiculous contests, but, criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/adarlan-could-take-their-freedom-it-could-destroy-their-lives-and-2/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Freedom will destroy itself if it is not exercised within some sort of moral framework, some body of shared beliefs, some spiritual heritage transmitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/freedom-will-destroy-itself-if-it-is-not-exercised-within-some-sort/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There can be no freedom of the individual, no democracy, without the capital system, the profit system, the private enterprise system. These are, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-cornell-leffingwell/there-can-be-no-freedom-of-the-individual-no-democracy-without-the/) Russell Cornell Leffingwell > [I have discovered that my freedom is within me, and nothing can destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-frame/i-have-discovered-that-my-freedom-is-within-me-and-nothing-can/) [Janet Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-frame/) > [Im not always as confident as I seem. There are many nights and many days when all I want is to be held. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-not-always-as-confident-as-i-seem-there-are-many-nights-and-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The things that frighten us just want to be held.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/the-things-that-frighten-us-just-want-to-be-held/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) > [What we want most is to be held...and told..that everything (everything is a funny thing, is baby milk and papa's eyes, is roaring logs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/what-we-want-most-is-to-be-held-and-told-that-everything-everything/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Jacks stood beside her. Instead of saying anything, she felt his fingers trace up her palm and then lace into hers. He had taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-speer/jacks-stood-beside-her-instead-of-saying-anything-she-felt-his/) [Scott Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-speer/) > [The worst thing is holding on to someone who doesn't want to be held on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-thing-is-holding-on-to-someone-who-doesn-t-want-to-be-held/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I think she's afraid to even hug me now. It's my fault, but I miss it, Andrew. I miss it so much it aches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-h-trumble/i-think-she-s-afraid-to-even-hug-me-now-it-s-my-fault-but-i-miss-it/) [J.H. Trumble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-h-trumble/) > [Don't hold on to anything that doesn't want to be held by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-grabil/don-t-hold-on-to-anything-that-doesn-t-want-to-be-held-by-you/) [Katie Grabil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-grabil/) > [Even when the sex is great, sometimes women just want to be held, shown attention and listened to attentively making them feel completely secure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-when-the-sex-is-great-sometimes-women-just-want-to-be-held-shown/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Open your hands if you want to be held.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/open-your-hands-if-you-want-to-be-held/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I let you go because I cant hold onto what doesnt want to be held apoun:/](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-soul/i-let-you-go-because-i-cant-hold-onto-what-doesnt-want-to-be-held/) [Broken Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/broken-soul/) > [The Golden Rule of Relationships: Never hold on to someone who doesn't want to be held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/the-golden-rule-of-relationships-never-hold-on-to-someone-who-doesn-t/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) ## More by Clarice Lispector > [“I find it hard to believe that I shall die. Because I'm bubbling in cold freshness. My life will be very long because each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-find-it-hard-to-believe-that-i-shall-die-because-i-m-bubbling-in/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“We shall be inhuman - as humankind's greatest conquest. To be is to be beyond the human. To be a human being doesn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/we-shall-be-inhuman-as-humankind-s-greatest-conquest-to-be-is-to-be/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [The only truth is that I live. Sincerely, I live. Who am I? Well, that's a bit much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/the-only-truth-is-that-i-live-sincerely-i-live-who-am-i-well-that-s-a/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [Brazil is where I have to be, where I have my roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/brazil-is-where-i-have-to-be-where-i-have-my-roots/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“her short stories read like perfect songs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/her-short-stories-read-like-perfect-songs/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“Between two musical notes there exists another note, between two facts there exists another fact, between two grains of sand, no matter how close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/between-two-musical-notes-there-exists-another-note-between-two-facts/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [I' is merely one of the world's instantaneous spasms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-is-merely-one-of-the-world-s-instantaneous-spasms/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“It isn't for us that cows' milk comes forth, but we drink it. Flowers weren't made for us to look at or for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/it-isn-t-for-us-that-cows-milk-comes-forth-but-we-drink-it-flowers/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [To think is an act. To feel is a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/to-think-is-an-act-to-feel-is-a-fact/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [Love is now, is always. All that is missing is the coup de grâce- which is called passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/love-is-now-is-always-all-that-is-missing-is-the-coup-de-gr-ce-which/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [What I want is to live of that initial and primordial something that was what made some things reach the point of aspiring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/what-i-want-is-to-live-of-that-initial-and-primordial-something-that/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“I see that the wardrobe looks penetrable because it has a door. But when I open it, I see that penetration has been put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-see-that-the-wardrobe-looks-penetrable-because-it-has-a-door-but/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“I knew that cockroaches could go more than a month without food or water. And they could even survive on wood for food. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-knew-that-cockroaches-could-go-more-than-a-month-without-food-or/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“Beatitude starts in the moment when the act of thinking has freed itself from the necessity of form. Beatitude starts at the moment when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/beatitude-starts-in-the-moment-when-the-act-of-thinking-has-freed/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“Beyond thought I reach a state. I refuse to divide it up into words - and what I cannot and do not want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/beyond-thought-i-reach-a-state-i-refuse-to-divide-it-up-into-words/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) [Explore all 196 Clarice Lispector quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And I want to be held down. 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