About Quote by David Foster Wallace
“We're kind of wishing some parents would come back. And of course we're uneasy about the fact that we wish they'd come back - I mean, what's wrong with us?”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The David Foster Wallace Archive, 2005
A yearning for absent parental figures reveals our discomfort with dependence and loss.
In simple terms: Missing parents cause uneasy longing.
Accept and process longing without guilt.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- grieving a parent
- seeking guidance
- reflecting on childhood
- coping with loss
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does longing shape your adult relationships?
- What can you learn from this yearning?
The quote may romanticize absence, ignoring the benefits of self‑reliance.