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Cemetery Quote by Colm Tóibín

“Here in this cemetery, which they began to stroll around once more, the state of not-knowing and not-feeling which belonged to the dead seemed to him closer to resolved happiness than he had ever imagined possible.” quote by Colm Tóibín
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““Here in this cemetery, which they began to stroll around once more, the state of not-knowing and not-feeling which belonged to the dead seemed to him closer to resolved happiness than he had ever imagined possible.””

Colm Tóibín

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Master, The Apprentice, and The Spies by Colm Tóibín, 2015

The narrator feels that the detached, unfeeling state of the dead offers a paradoxical sense of peace, suggesting that ignorance can be comforting.

In simple terms: Ignorance can feel peaceful like death.

Key Takeaway

Embrace uncertainty without fearing emptiness.

Themes

existential peace death ignorance

Mood

reflective somber thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical existential

When to use this quote

  • grief counseling
  • creative writing
  • philosophical contemplation
  • meditation
  • life transition

Key Concepts

nihilism detachment paradoxical comfort

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can you find calm in uncertainty?
  • Does avoidance of feeling hinder growth?
A Different Perspective

Such peace may be illusionary and avoid confronting necessary emotions.

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