Skip to content

Blind man Quote by E.L. Doctorow

“One evening he appeared with an infant in his arms at the door of his ex-wife, Martha. Because Briony, his lovely young wife after Martha, had died. Of what? We’ll get to that. I can’t do this alone, Andrew said, as Martha stared at him from the open doorway. It happened to have been snowing that…” quote by E.L. Doctorow
Download Open image
““One evening he appeared with an infant in his arms at the door of his ex-wife, Martha. Because Briony, his lovely young wife after Martha, had died. Of what? We’ll get to that. I can’t do this alone, Andrew said, as Martha stared at him from the open doorway. It happened to have been snowing that night, and Martha was transfixed by the soft creature-like snowflakes alighting on Andrew’s NY Yankees hat brim. Martha was like that, enrapt by the peripheral things as if setting them to music. Even in ordinary times, she was slow to respond, looking at you with her large dark rolling protuberant eyes. Then the smile would come, or the nod, or the shake of the head. Meanwhile the heat from her home drifted through the open door and fogged up Andrew’s eyeglasses. He stood there behind his foggy lenses like a blind man in the snowfall and was without volition when at last she reached out, gently took the swaddled infant from him, stepped back, and closed the door in his face.””

E.L. Doctorow

About This Quote

Source Novel: The March, E.L. Doctorow, 2005

A man confronts loss and vulnerability while a woman, entranced by simple beauty, offers unexpected compassion, revealing human connection amid grief.

In simple terms: He is helped by a woman’s gentle act.

Key Takeaway

Seek small acts of kindness in moments of sorrow.

Themes

loss compassion vulnerability human connection grief

Mood

melancholic hopeful

Type

literary emotional

When to use this quote

  • hospital
  • home
  • snowy night
  • family crisis

Key Concepts

existentialism empathy

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does this scene say about the power of small gestures?
  • How can we be present for others in grief?
A Different Perspective

Compassion may be fleeting and not solve deeper pain.

3.6 out of 5 (8 ratings)

More by E.L. Doctorow

Explore all 64 E.L. Doctorow quotes

More Blind man quotes

Browse all 295 Blind man quotes