--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She had been bored all afternoon by Percy…" description: "\"She had been bored all afternoon by Percy Gryce... but she could not ignore him on the morrow, she must follow up her success, must submit to more bore..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png" --- # She had been bored all afternoon by Percy Gryce... but she… ![“She had been bored all afternoon by Percy Gryce... but she could not ignore him on the morrow, she must follow up her success, must submit to more boredom, must be ready with fresh compliances and adaptibilities, and all on the bare chance that he might ultimately decide to do her the honour of…” quote by Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png) > “She had been bored all afternoon by Percy Gryce... but she could not ignore him on the morrow, she must follow up her success, must submit to more boredom, must be ready with fresh compliances and adaptibilities, and all on the bare chance that he might ultimately decide to do her the honour of boring her for life.” [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She must endure boredom and adapt to continue her success, despite uncertainty about future rewards. **In simple terms:** Endure monotony to achieve goals. Key Takeaway Persist despite dull tasks. Themes perseverance adaptability career uncertainty gender roles Mood determined reflective Type literary motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative writing - academic research - personal development Key Concepts social expectations psychology literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What boring tasks are you tolerating for success? - How can you find meaning in routine? A Different Perspective Monotony can lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bored/) [Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Compliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliance/) [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) ## Related quotes > [Leadership is about three-fourths show-the-way and about one-fourth follow-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/leadership-is-about-three-fourths-show-the-way-and-about-one-fourth/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [You're always supposed to follow-up any cross or whatever towards the goalkeeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mcdonald/you-re-always-supposed-to-follow-up-any-cross-or-whatever-towards-the/) [Jessica McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mcdonald/) > [No man will ever be a big executive who feels that he must, either openly or under cover, follow up every order he gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lee-mahin/no-man-will-ever-be-a-big-executive-who-feels-that-he-must-either/) [John Lee Mahin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lee-mahin/) > [The joy of songwriting only gets messed up if you are trying to follow up a big success, or you are trying to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-finn/the-joy-of-songwriting-only-gets-messed-up-if-you-are-trying-to/) [Tim Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-finn/) > [To improve global health, it's not enough just to have a really good new product and to obtain marketing approval. You still need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/to-improve-global-health-it-s-not-enough-just-to-have-a-really-good/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [When you write a great song, it just blows you away. When you write a song that connects with people around the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-stefani/when-you-write-a-great-song-it-just-blows-you-away-when-you-write-a/) [Gwen Stefani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-stefani/) > [I think the fun thing about doing a project under your own name is that literally anything could be a follow up, it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/i-think-the-fun-thing-about-doing-a-project-under-your-own-name-is/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [In other philosophies, my questions would get answered to some degree, but then I would have a follow-up question and there would be no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-elfman/in-other-philosophies-my-questions-would-get-answered-to-some-degree/) [Jenna Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-elfman/) > [There isn’t anything good to say about Kick-Ass 2, the even more witless, mirthless follow-up to Kick-Ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/there-isn-t-anything-good-to-say-about-kick-ass-2-the-even-more/) [Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/) > [My daily beauty regimen is definitely always in the mornings, and at night, always washing my face with a basic cleanser. 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It was used historically to highlight wrongs in society - turning ancient redwood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brune/civil-disobedience-can-help-to-focus-attention-on-a-particular/) [Michael Brune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-brune/) > [When American administration will find that their interest is to follow up with the international conference and to find peace in this area, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/when-american-administration-will-find-that-their-interest-is-to/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [ My four-year-old daughter regularly requests reading Book One \[the March\] at bedtime; the methods of reading, delivering, and processing the book's content vary according… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-powell/my-four-year-old-daughter-regularly-requests-reading-book-one-the/) [Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-powell/) > [“I don’t think the people today who start hearing voices, stop eating and sleeping, and run amuck are likely to get good treatment. Having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/i-don-t-think-the-people-today-who-start-hearing-voices-stop-eating/) [Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/) ## More by Edith Wharton > [“Suddenly the air was full of that deep clangor of bells which periodically covers Rome with a roof of silver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/suddenly-the-air-was-full-of-that-deep-clangor-of-bells-which/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“Untrained human nature was not frank and innocent; it was full of the twists and defences of an instinctive guile. And he felt himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/untrained-human-nature-was-not-frank-and-innocent-it-was-full-of-the/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“High Pasture Come up--come up: in the dim vale below The autumn mist muffles the fading trees, But on this keen hill-pasture, though the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/high-pasture-come-up-come-up-in-the-dim-vale-below-the-autumn-mist/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“Two ways to be a light for all, is to be a flaming candle or the mirror that reflects it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/two-ways-to-be-a-light-for-all-is-to-be-a-flaming-candle-or-the/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“... no treasure-house of Atreus was ever as rich as a well-stored memory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/no-treasure-house-of-atreus-was-ever-as-rich-as-a-well-stored-memory/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“...the endless labour of rolling human stupidity up the steep hill of understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/the-endless-labour-of-rolling-human-stupidity-up-the-steep-hill-of/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“he saw his marriage becoming what most of the other marriages about him were: a dull association of material and social interests held together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/he-saw-his-marriage-becoming-what-most-of-the-other-marriages-about/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [The real loneliness is living among all these kind people who only ask one to pretend!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/the-real-loneliness-is-living-among-all-these-kind-people-who-only/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [With a shiver of foreboding he saw his marriage becoming what most of the other marriages about him were: a dull association of material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/with-a-shiver-of-foreboding-he-saw-his-marriage-becoming-what-most-of/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Life is the saddest thing there is, next to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/life-is-the-saddest-thing-there-is-next-to-death/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [A classic is classic not because it conforms to certain structural rules, or fits certain definitions (of which its author had quite probably never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/a-classic-is-classic-not-because-it-conforms-to-certain-structural/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [There is too much sour grapes for my taste in the present American attitude. The time to denounce the bankers was when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/there-is-too-much-sour-grapes-for-my-taste-in-the-present-american/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“But in a few years more perhaps there may be; for, deep within us as the ghost instinct lurks, I seem to see it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/but-in-a-few-years-more-perhaps-there-may-be-for-deep-within-us-as/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Dialogue in fiction should be reserved for the culminating moments and regarded as the spray into which the great wave of narrative breaks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/dialogue-in-fiction-should-be-reserved-for-the-culminating-moments/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“These Americans, under their forthcoming manner, their surface-gush, as some might call it, have an odd reticence about what goes on underneath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/these-americans-under-their-forthcoming-manner-their-surface-gush-as/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) [Explore all 504 Edith Wharton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) ## More Afternoon quotes > [I didn't grow up thinking of movies as film, or art, but as movies, something to do on a Saturday afternoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-didn-t-grow-up-thinking-of-movies-as-film-or-art-but-as-movies/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [My dental hygienist is cute. Every time I visit, I eat a whole package of Oreo cookies while waiting in the lobby. Sometimes she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/my-dental-hygienist-is-cute-every-time-i-visit-i-eat-a-whole-package/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Honestly, I'm living my fantasy. It's being with my family, preferably on a snowy afternoon with a fire going, cuddled up in blankets, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-vieira/honestly-i-m-living-my-fantasy-it-s-being-with-my-family-preferably/) [Meredith Vieira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-vieira/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Sunday afternoon is for papers and writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-haslam/sunday-afternoon-is-for-papers-and-writing/) [Nicholas Haslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-haslam/) > [I think that if most guys in America could somehow get their fave-rave poster girl in bed and have total license to do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/i-think-that-if-most-guys-in-america-could-somehow-get-their-fave/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [At five in the afternoon. It was exactly five in the afternoon. A boy brought the white sheet at five in the afternoon. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-five-in-the-afternoon-it-was-exactly-five-in-the-afternoon-a-boy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“I discovered windows one afternoon and after that, nothing was ever the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-spollen/i-discovered-windows-one-afternoon-and-after-that-nothing-was-ever/) [Anne Spollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-spollen/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon? And the day after that, and the next thirty years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-ll-we-do-with-ourselves-this-afternoon-and-the-day-after-that/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Imagine you are walking down a leafy path…The sun is receding, and you are walking alone, caressed by the breezy light of the late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/imagine-you-are-walking-down-a-leafy-path-the-sun-is-receding-and-you/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [A good umpire is the umpire you don't even notice. He's there all afternoon but when the game is over, you don't even remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-johnson/a-good-umpire-is-the-umpire-you-don-t-even-notice-he-s-there-all/) Ban Johnson > [Sometimes in the afternoon sky the moon would pass white as a cloud, furtive, lusterless, like an actress who does not have to perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/sometimes-in-the-afternoon-sky-the-moon-would-pass-white-as-a-cloud/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) Browse all 1,085 Afternoon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "She had been bored all afternoon by Percy Gryce... but she could not ignore him on the morrow, she must follow up her success, must submit to more boredom, must be ready with fresh compliances and adaptibilities, and all on the bare chance that he might ultimately decide to do her the honour of boring her for life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edith Wharton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-percy-gryce-but-she-could-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afternoon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-percy-gryce-but-she-could-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/edith-wharton-512_afternoon_she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-perc_830522.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She had been bored all afternoon by Percy Gryce... but she could not ignore him on the morrow, she must…” — Edith Wharton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edith Wharton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "She had been bored all afternoon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-percy-gryce-but-she-could-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/she-had-been-bored-all-afternoon-by-percy-gryce-but-she-could-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```