Blue hair Quote by Fred Chappell
““In the center of the sofa were two oblong companion pillows, shouldered so closely together that they looked like the Decalogue tablets. They were white, or had been white, and painfully stitched upon them with blue thread were companion mottoes, companion pictures. In the left pillow lies a girl, her long blue hair asprawl about her face, her eyes innocently shut, asleep. The motto: I SLEPT AND DREAMED THAT LIFE WAS BEAUTY. But the story continued, and on the next pillow her innocence is all torn away: there she stands, gripping a round broom; her hair now is pinned up severely and behind her sits a disheartening barrel churn. I WOKE AND FOUND THAT LIFE WAS DUTY. The pillows sat, stuffed and stiff as disapproving bishops; they could, he thought, serve as twin tombstones for whole gray generations.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “The Man Who Loved Children” (excerpt), 1970
The twin pillows symbolize the loss of innocence and the shift from dreaming to duty as one ages.
In simple terms: Life changes from dreaming to responsibility.
Key Takeaway
Accept growth and its burdens.
Themes
growth
innocence
duty
time
memory
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal development
- life stages
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
existential reflection
psychological transition
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the shift from dream to duty mean for you?
- How do you balance beauty and responsibility?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex life experiences.
