Between the lines Quote by Henrik Ibsen
“Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see Ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be Ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sand of the sea… We are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, 1881
The quote suggests that hidden truths and fears are pervasive, like unseen spirits lurking in everyday life, and people avoid confronting them.
In simple terms: Hidden fears are everywhere, like ghosts in a newspaper.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge and confront hidden anxieties.
Themes
fear
truth
society
illusion
confrontation
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- personal introspection
- public discourse
- mental health awareness
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
existential dread
social critique
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What unseen fears shape your daily decisions?
- How does confronting truth change your perception?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑dramatize ordinary concerns, risking fatalism.
![“Ghosts! […] I almost think we are all of us ghosts. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that ‘walks’ in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off…” quote by Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b3f/henrik-ibsen-1419_belief_ghosts-i-almost-think-we-are-all-of-us-g_3184486.jpg)
![“Is it really worth dying for the person you love?” [Maureen] thinks about this for a moment. “That’s not the real question, Oliver. What you should be asking is, Can you live without her?” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/611/jodi-picoult-45_between-the-lines_is-it-really-worth-dying-for-the-person_199019.jpg)
