--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And they clapped they loved they…" description: "\"“And they clapped they loved they worshipped him. I picked up sticks out of my hair. Dirt up off my tongue. I felt the loving smears go in. The loving ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg" --- # And they clapped they loved they worshipped him. I picked… ![“And they clapped they loved they worshipped him. I picked up sticks out of my hair. Dirt up off my tongue. I felt the loving smears go in. The loving blood. I felt water rushing in my brain. I dead the heart. I am for you alone.” quote by Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg) > ““And they clapped they loved they worshipped him. I picked up sticks out of my hair. Dirt up off my tongue. I felt the loving smears go in. The loving blood. I felt water rushing in my brain. I dead the heart. I am for you alone.”” [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage uses vivid, fragmented imagery to convey a desperate, ecstatic devotion that blurs love, pain, and identity. **In simple terms:** Intense devotion feels chaotic and all‑consuming. Key Takeaway Recognize when devotion becomes self‑destructive. Themes love devotion identity pain ecstasy Mood intense poetic Type literary emotional When to use this quote - relationships - spiritual practice - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism psychology poetics Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries protect healthy love? - How does language shape emotional experience? A Different Perspective It may romanticize unhealthy obsession. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Hebbity bedda," I said, by way of attempting a greeting. My mouth had gone rather numb, and my tongue felt like a lead weight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hebbity-bedda-i-said-by-way-of-attempting-a-greeting-my-mouth-had-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His tongue felt good, it tasted good, it was all just good. Not just good. It was better than good. I missed this. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/his-tongue-felt-good-it-tasted-good-it-was-all-just-good-not-just/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Hebbity bedda,” I said, by way of attempting a greeting. My mouth had gone rather numb, and my tongue felt like a lead weight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/hebbity-bedda-i-said-by-way-of-attempting-a-greeting-my-mouth-had/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Jonas cast about in his mind for something to say. Long had he hoped for time alone with Caroline, but now that he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-copeland/jonas-cast-about-in-his-mind-for-something-to-say-long-had-he-hoped/) [Lori Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-copeland/) > [“She was touching his body with her tongue, and he felt it there, but somehow what she was doing went deeper. As if that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/she-was-touching-his-body-with-her-tongue-and-he-felt-it-there-but/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [“He wasn’t sure who moved first, her or him. There was the thunk of her bag sliding down her arm to hit the floor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mayberry/he-wasn-t-sure-who-moved-first-her-or-him-there-was-the-thunk-of-her/) [Sarah Mayberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mayberry/) > [“Rage had consumed her. She hadn’t wanted to just murder him. She had wanted to empty her gun into his chest. And then she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/rage-had-consumed-her-she-hadn-t-wanted-to-just-murder-him-she-had/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“What chilled my blood was a felt marker outline of a woman on the wall. Hands above the head, where there was a hook,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grahame-shannon/what-chilled-my-blood-was-a-felt-marker-outline-of-a-woman-on-the/) Grahame Shannon > [“I had to kneel to pull the blade out again, and stayed still afterwards. My heart was a bucking bull in my chest, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/i-had-to-kneel-to-pull-the-blade-out-again-and-stayed-still/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“In having a purpose. I could feel it hardening up my bones and thickening my blood. I felt older and smarter than anyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/in-having-a-purpose-i-could-feel-it-hardening-up-my-bones-and/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Looking at her always reminded me of a rose that was dripping blood. I always felt it was drawing all the life from inside.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-vasu/looking-at-her-always-reminded-me-of-a-rose-that-was-dripping-blood-i/) [Akshay Vasu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-vasu/) > [Sensations sweet, Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/sensations-sweet-felt-in-the-blood-and-felt-along-the-heart/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I was walking along a road one evening – on one side lay the city, and below me was the fjord. The sun went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/i-was-walking-along-a-road-one-evening-on-one-side-lay-the-city-and/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [“We laughed and laughed and passed the bong around each other taking turns to burn our lungs. The room was smokier than ever before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicci-greene/we-laughed-and-laughed-and-passed-the-bong-around-each-other-taking/) [Nicci Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicci-greene/) > [This year I wish to be dead They all clapped They didn't know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma/this-year-i-wish-to-be-dead-they-all-clapped-they-didn-t-know/) [Emma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma/) ## More by Eimear McBride > [“Real life's not all about romance and I should remember that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/real-life-s-not-all-about-romance-and-i-should-remember-that/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“Do you hear me? Is it ever time for you to understand. I meant I meant that for I never thought you could think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/do-you-hear-me-is-it-ever-time-for-you-to-understand-i-meant-i-meant/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“Besides it’s as nothing to the death of a child. He doesn’t mind telling you his faith was sorely tried. There’s no grief like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/besides-it-s-as-nothing-to-the-death-of-a-child-he-doesn-t-mind/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“I'm not lost. Or not lost much. Lonely. It is that and I don't know what to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/i-m-not-lost-or-not-lost-much-lonely-it-is-that-and-i-don-t-know-what/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“Have a smack. Was all that happened for years. And my head is good for secrets. I can bang it on the wall. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/have-a-smack-was-all-that-happened-for-years-and-my-head-is-good-for/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“See. My one act. I might be a person. Beneath the.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/see-my-one-act-i-might-be-a-person-beneath-the/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“I am tired. Too full of stuff I've done. Where my legs hurt where my scalp hurts. I'll not fight the thing inside me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/i-am-tired-too-full-of-stuff-i-ve-done-where-my-legs-hurt-where-my/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“For all of that I wanted to be out of it. All of that. You wanted to be in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/for-all-of-that-i-wanted-to-be-out-of-it-all-of-that-you-wanted-to-be/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“Hurt me. Until I am outside pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/hurt-me-until-i-am-outside-pain/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“This wrong doubtful body should not have been mine. Mine was. Not this. Was perfect. Once. Drag the. I will and sit and drown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/this-wrong-doubtful-body-should-not-have-been-mine-mine-was-not-this/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“Being young you have not yet known the fool’s triumph nor yet nor yet love being lost as soon as won. No. That’s wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/being-young-you-have-not-yet-known-the-fool-s-triumph-nor-yet-nor-yet/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“We were moving off now. From each other. As cannot be. Helped. I didn't want it from that time on. You know. All that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/we-were-moving-off-now-from-each-other-as-cannot-be-helped-i-didn-t/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) > [“There is no Jesus here these days just Come all you fucking lads. I’ll have you every one any day. Breakfast dinner lunch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/there-is-no-jesus-here-these-days-just-come-all-you-fucking-lads-i-ll/) [Eimear McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) [Explore all 14 Eimear McBride quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/) ## More Clapped quotes > [This year I wish to be dead They all clapped They didn't know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma/this-year-i-wish-to-be-dead-they-all-clapped-they-didn-t-know/) [Emma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma/) > [I clapped because it finished, not because I liked it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-martinez/i-clapped-because-it-finished-not-because-i-liked-it/) [Alfonso Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-martinez/) > [“Max clapped his hands. “Go, go, go!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mass/max-clapped-his-hands-go-go-go/) [Wendy Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mass/) > [I clapped because its finished, not because I liked it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-hartman/i-clapped-because-its-finished-not-because-i-liked-it/) [Celeste Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-hartman/) > [“Licata’s free hand clapped over his gaping mouth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/licata-s-free-hand-clapped-over-his-gaping-mouth/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [“But, however, I clapped a stopper over his capers.’ Dr Maturin was proud of his nautical expressions: sometimes he got them right, but right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/but-however-i-clapped-a-stopper-over-his-capers-dr-maturin-was-proud/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [I have no face, only two profiles clapped together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-asquith/i-have-no-face-only-two-profiles-clapped-together/) [Margot Asquith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-asquith/) > [“He jumped to the adjacent table and America squealed and clapped, elbowing me. I shook my head; I had died and woken up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/he-jumped-to-the-adjacent-table-and-america-squealed-and-clapped/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [“They all laughed and clapped, taking it for a deliberate witticism, while he had no idea what he was saying, so great was his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/they-all-laughed-and-clapped-taking-it-for-a-deliberate-witticism/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“William clapped to gain everyone's attention. "All right, listen up. I've got good news and bad news. Because I'm such a positive person, we'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/william-clapped-to-gain-everyone-s-attention-all-right-listen-up-i-ve/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“That left Cam, who was standing close to Daniel, their arms clapped around each other’s shoulders. “You pulled it off, brother.” “Course I did.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/that-left-cam-who-was-standing-close-to-daniel-their-arms-clapped/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“Yeah. We consulted our crystal balls, so we knew just when to drop the piano out of the window.” I clapped my hands together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-f-breene/yeah-we-consulted-our-crystal-balls-so-we-knew-just-when-to-drop-the/) [K.F. Breene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-f-breene/) > [You didn't," John said, stepping from the shadows as he clapped for me, "even hit your head this time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/you-didn-t-john-said-stepping-from-the-shadows-as-he-clapped-for-me/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [One minute I was a clapped-out, two-guinea, legal-aid lawyer, and the next minute I was in parliament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-minute-i-was-a-clapped-out-two-guinea-legal-aid-lawyer-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“and when he saw the kid standing there looking looking down at him he held out to him his bloodied hands as if in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/and-when-he-saw-the-kid-standing-there-looking-looking-down-at-him-he/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) Browse all 36 Clapped quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And they clapped they loved they worshipped him. I picked up sticks out of my hair. Dirt up off my tongue. I felt the loving smears go in. The loving blood. I felt water rushing in my brain. I dead the heart. I am for you alone.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eimear McBride" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worshipped-him-i-picked-up-sticks/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clapped" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worshipped-him-i-picked-up-sticks/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/eimear-mcbride-34551_quote_and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worship_1454770.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And they clapped they loved they worshipped him. I picked up sticks out of my hair. Dirt up off my tongue. I…” — Eimear McBride", "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": "Eimear McBride", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eimear-mcbride/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And they clapped they loved they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worshipped-him-i-picked-up-sticks/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eimear-mcbride/and-they-clapped-they-loved-they-worshipped-him-i-picked-up-sticks/#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 } } ] } ```