--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And, increasingly, I find myself fixing…" description: "\"“And, increasingly, I find myself fixing on that refusal to pull back. Because I don’t care what anyone says or how often or winningly they say it: no ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/donna-tartt-391_broken-hearts_and-increasingly-i-find-myself-fixing-on_3125413.jpg" --- # And, increasingly, I find myself fixing on that refusal to… ![“And, increasingly, I find myself fixing on that refusal to pull back. Because I don’t care what anyone says or how often or winningly they say it: no one will ever, ever be able to persuade me that life is some awesome, rewarding treat. Because, here’s the truth: life is catastrophe. The basic…” quote by Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/donna-tartt-391_broken-hearts_and-increasingly-i-find-myself-fixing-on_3125413.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/donna-tartt-391_broken-hearts_and-increasingly-i-find-myself-fixing-on_3125413.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/donna-tartt-391_broken-hearts_and-increasingly-i-find-myself-fixing-on_3125413.jpg) > ““And, increasingly, I find myself fixing on that refusal to pull back. Because I don’t care what anyone says or how often or winningly they say it: no one will ever, ever be able to persuade me that life is some awesome, rewarding treat. Because, here’s the truth: life is catastrophe. The basic fact of existence—of walking around trying to feed ourselves and find friends and whatever else we do—is catastrophe. Forget all this ridiculous ‘Our Town’ nonsense everyone talks: the miracle of a newborn babe, the joy of one simple blossom, Life You Are Too Wonderful To Grasp, &c. For me—and I’ll keep repeating it doggedly till I die, till I fall over on my ungrateful nihilistic face and am too weak to say it: better never born, than born into this cesspool. Sinkhole of hospital beds, coffins, and broken hearts. No release, no appeal, no “do-overs” to employ a favored phrase of Xandra’s, no way forward but age and loss, and no way out but death.”” [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) ## 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 rejects optimistic narratives, asserting that life is fundamentally catastrophic and filled with suffering, arguing that any positive framing is a denial of harsh reality. **In simple terms:** Life is seen as disaster, not a gift. Key Takeaway Accept the bleak view and confront suffering. Themes nihilism existentialism despair reality critique Mood despair critical introspective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - personal crisis - mental health - literary analysis - philosophical debate Key Concepts philosophy psychology social commentary Questions to Reflect On - What evidence contradicts this view? - How can one find meaning amid catastrophe? A Different Perspective The perspective may ignore moments of genuine joy or resilience that many experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken-hearts/) [Catastrophe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophe/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Way forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-forward/) ## Related quotes > [“And, increasingly, I find myself fixing on that refusal to pull back. 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