--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All we can do about this nightmare we…" description: "\"“All we can do about this nightmare we live in is to create, if we are very lucky, a few islands of love and trust to sustain us and help us forget. Bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/francis-m-nevins-47510_cornell-woolrich_all-we-can-do-about-this-nightmare-we-li_1071666.jpg" --- # All we can do about this nightmare we live in is to… ![“All we can do about this nightmare we live in is to create, if we are very lucky, a few islands of love and trust to sustain us and help us forget. But love dies while the lovers go on living, and Woolrich excels at making us watch while relationships corrode. He knew the horrors that both love…” quote by Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/francis-m-nevins-47510_cornell-woolrich_all-we-can-do-about-this-nightmare-we-li_1071666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/francis-m-nevins-47510_cornell-woolrich_all-we-can-do-about-this-nightmare-we-li_1071666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/francis-m-nevins-47510_cornell-woolrich_all-we-can-do-about-this-nightmare-we-li_1071666.jpg) > ““All we can do about this nightmare we live in is to create, if we are very lucky, a few islands of love and trust to sustain us and help us forget. But love dies while the lovers go on living, and Woolrich excels at making us watch while relationships corrode. He knew the horrors that both love and lovelessness can breed, yet he created very few irredeemably evil characters; for with whoever loves or needs love, Woolrich identifies, all of that person's dark side notwithstanding. ("Introduction")”” [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Love offers brief safe havens in a harsh world, yet it cannot stop decay; both love and its absence breed horror. **In simple terms:** Love is a temporary refuge in a cruel reality. Key Takeaway Seek love but accept its limits. Themes love hope human frailty trust illusion Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - mental health coping - creative writing - community building Key Concepts psychology of attachment existential dread Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain hope when love fades? - What role does love play in confronting darkness? A Different Perspective Love alone cannot fix systemic suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cornell-woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cornell-woolrich/) [Crime fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime-fiction/) [Dark side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-side/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-trust/) [Noir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noir/) [Noir-fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noir-fiction/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a fan of horrors. I love the ones that make you jump. My girlfriend hates it. I've been dating her for one-and-a-half years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-padalecki/i-m-a-fan-of-horrors-i-love-the-ones-that-make-you-jump-my-girlfriend/) [Jared Padalecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-padalecki/) > [“Long before the Theater of the Absurd, Woolrich discovered that an incomprehensible universe is best reflected in an incomprehensible story. ("Introduction")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/long-before-the-theater-of-the-absurd-woolrich-discovered-that-an/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“His most characteristic detective stories end with the realization that no rational account of events is possible, and his suspense stories tend to close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/his-most-characteristic-detective-stories-end-with-the-realization/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“But suspense presupposes uncertainty. No matter how nightmarish the situation, real suspense is impossible when we know in advance that the protagonist will prevail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/but-suspense-presupposes-uncertainty-no-matter-how-nightmarish-the/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“The hallmarks of the noir style are fear, guilt and loneliness, breakdown and despair, sexual obsession and social corruption, a sense that the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/the-hallmarks-of-the-noir-style-are-fear-guilt-and-loneliness/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“Woolrich had a genius for creating types of story perfectly consonant with his world: the noir cop story, the clock race story, the waking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/woolrich-had-a-genius-for-creating-types-of-story-perfectly-consonant/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“The viewpoint character in each story is usually someone trapped in a living nightmare, but this doesn't guarantee that we and the protagonist are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/the-viewpoint-character-in-each-story-is-usually-someone-trapped-in-a/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“In Woolrich's crime fiction there is a gradual development from pulp to noir. The earlier a story, the more likely it stresses pulp elements:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/in-woolrich-s-crime-fiction-there-is-a-gradual-development-from-pulp/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“Like the playwrights of the Absurd, Woolrich recognized that a senseless story best mirrors a senseless existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins-jr/like-the-playwrights-of-the-absurd-woolrich-recognized-that-a/) Francis M. Nevins Jr > [“This may not be art as art commonly goes; the lack of discipline, of control, would seem to rule it out of that category.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins-jr/this-may-not-be-art-as-art-commonly-goes-the-lack-of-discipline-of/) Francis M. Nevins Jr > [“Inevitably, his vision verged toward the fantastic; he published a scattering of stories - most included in this volume - which appeared to conform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-n-malzberg/inevitably-his-vision-verged-toward-the-fantastic-he-published-a/) [Barry N. Malzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-n-malzberg/) > [“He began as a minor imitator of Fitzgerald, wrote a novel in the late twenties which won a prize, became dissatisfied with his work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-n-malzberg/he-began-as-a-minor-imitator-of-fitzgerald-wrote-a-novel-in-the-late/) [Barry N. Malzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-n-malzberg/) ## More by Francis M. Nevins > [“Long before the Theater of the Absurd, Woolrich discovered that an incomprehensible universe is best reflected in an incomprehensible story. ("Introduction")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/long-before-the-theater-of-the-absurd-woolrich-discovered-that-an/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“His most characteristic detective stories end with the realization that no rational account of events is possible, and his suspense stories tend to close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/his-most-characteristic-detective-stories-end-with-the-realization/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“But suspense presupposes uncertainty. No matter how nightmarish the situation, real suspense is impossible when we know in advance that the protagonist will prevail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/but-suspense-presupposes-uncertainty-no-matter-how-nightmarish-the/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“The hallmarks of the noir style are fear, guilt and loneliness, breakdown and despair, sexual obsession and social corruption, a sense that the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/the-hallmarks-of-the-noir-style-are-fear-guilt-and-loneliness/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“Woolrich had a genius for creating types of story perfectly consonant with his world: the noir cop story, the clock race story, the waking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/woolrich-had-a-genius-for-creating-types-of-story-perfectly-consonant/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“The viewpoint character in each story is usually someone trapped in a living nightmare, but this doesn't guarantee that we and the protagonist are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/the-viewpoint-character-in-each-story-is-usually-someone-trapped-in-a/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“In Woolrich's crime fiction there is a gradual development from pulp to noir. The earlier a story, the more likely it stresses pulp elements:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/in-woolrich-s-crime-fiction-there-is-a-gradual-development-from-pulp/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) [Explore all 8 Francis M. Nevins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) ## More Cornell-woolrich quotes > [“Long before the Theater of the Absurd, Woolrich discovered that an incomprehensible universe is best reflected in an incomprehensible story. ("Introduction")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/long-before-the-theater-of-the-absurd-woolrich-discovered-that-an/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“His most characteristic detective stories end with the realization that no rational account of events is possible, and his suspense stories tend to close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/his-most-characteristic-detective-stories-end-with-the-realization/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“But suspense presupposes uncertainty. 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Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“Inevitably, his vision verged toward the fantastic; he published a scattering of stories - most included in this volume - which appeared to conform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-n-malzberg/inevitably-his-vision-verged-toward-the-fantastic-he-published-a/) [Barry N. Malzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-n-malzberg/) > [“The viewpoint character in each story is usually someone trapped in a living nightmare, but this doesn't guarantee that we and the protagonist are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-m-nevins/the-viewpoint-character-in-each-story-is-usually-someone-trapped-in-a/) [Francis M. Nevins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-m-nevins/) > [“In Woolrich's crime fiction there is a gradual development from pulp to noir. 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Nevins Jr > [“He began as a minor imitator of Fitzgerald, wrote a novel in the late twenties which won a prize, became dissatisfied with his work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-n-malzberg/he-began-as-a-minor-imitator-of-fitzgerald-wrote-a-novel-in-the-late/) [Barry N. Malzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-n-malzberg/) [Browse all 12 Cornell-woolrich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cornell-woolrich/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All we can do about this nightmare we live in is to create, if we are very lucky, a few islands of love and trust to sustain us and help us forget. But love dies while the lovers go on living, and Woolrich excels at making us watch while relationships corrode. 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