Memory Quote by Daphne du Maurier
““A cloud, hitherto unseen, came upon the moon, and hovered an instant like a dark hand before a face.The illusion went with it, and the lights in the windows were extinguished. I looked upon a desolate shell, soulless at last, unhaunted, with no whisper of the past about its staring walls. The house was a sepulchre, our fear and suffering lay buried in the ruins. There would be no resurrection. When I thought of Manderley in my waking hours I would not be bitter. I should think of it as it might have been, could I have lived there without fear. I should remember the rose-garden in summer, and the birds that sang at dawn.Tea under the chestnut tree, and the murmur of the sea coming up to us from the lawns below. I would think of the blown lilac, and the Happy Valley. These things were permanent, they could not be dissolved.They were memories that cannot hurt.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, 1938
The narrator reflects on loss, memory, and the lingering presence of a place haunted by past emotions.
In simple terms: Memories of a lost home linger, shaping present feelings.
Key Takeaway
Honor memories while moving forward.
Themes
loss
memory
haunting
nostalgia
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- visiting old homes
- dealing with grief
- preserving family history
- writing memoirs
Key Concepts
psychology of grief
place attachment
literary symbolism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you keep cherished memories without being stuck?
- What places hold your strongest emotions?
A Different Perspective
Memories can both comfort and trap; balance is needed.
