Incomprehension Quote by Elizabeth Strout
““Living in a world where constantly one turned and touched incomprehension—they did not comprehend, he did not comprehend—gave the air the lift of uncertainty and this seemed to wear away something in him, always he felt unsure of what he wanted, what he thought, even what he felt. His””
About This Quote
Source Book: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, 2008
A character feels perpetual uncertainty, unable to grasp desires or thoughts, leading to inner erosion.
In simple terms: Uncertainty erodes self‑knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Seek clarity through reflection.
Themes
identity
uncertainty
self‑awareness
Mood
conflicted
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- decision making
- self‑discovery
- emotional turbulence
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What triggers your uncertainty?
- How can you anchor your desires?
A Different Perspective
Uncertainty may be a symptom of deeper issues requiring external help.
![“Everyone was at Martin Freeman’s house, and Martin was there and his wife was sat at his feet and Amanda [Abbington, Freeman’s wife] was crying and so was I and I tried to laugh it off but that turned into this enormous sob in front of everyone and I just thought, oh brilliant. I just found it…” quote by Louise Brealey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b12/louise-brealey-63754_amanda_everyone-was-at-martin-freeman-s-house-a_371356.jpg)
![“[A certain class of explanations in science are] analgesics that dull the ache of incomprehension without removing the cause.” quote by Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fbb/peter-medawar-9996_ache_a-certain-class-of-explanations-in-scien_299816.jpg)
![“They [scientists of centuries past] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations, however, God gets hardly a mention.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b0/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_century_they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-o_12921.jpg)
