Bed sheets Quote by Howard Jacobson
““He no sooner saw the woman than he saw the aftermath of her - his marriage proposal and her acceptance, the home they would set up together, the drawn rich silk curtains leaking purple light, the bed sheets billowing like clouds, the wisp of aromatic smoke winding from the chimney - only for every wrack of it - its lattice of crimson roof tiles, its gables and dormer windows, his happiness, his future - to come crashing down on him in the moment of her walking past.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Vicar of Nairn by Howard Jacobson, 1990
A vivid description of a man's hopes collapsing instantly upon seeing a woman, illustrating how love can trigger both dreams and sudden disappointment.
In simple terms: Love can bring hope and sudden loss.
Key Takeaway
Guard expectations while staying open to love.
Themes
love
hope
disappointment
Mood
melancholic
intense
Type
literary
emotional
When to use this quote
- first dates
- marriage proposals
- unexpected setbacks
- emotional vulnerability
Key Concepts
romantic idealism
fragility of dreams
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this say about the power of first impressions?
- How can we protect ourselves from sudden heartbreak?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize tragedy.
![“The world is rather shot to pieces [end of World War II - 1945], but the spectators climb out of their caves and pretend to have again become normal and customary humans who ask each other's pardon instead of eating one another or sucking each other's blood. The entertaining folly of war…” quote by Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/238/max-beckmann-14117_again-and-again_the-world-is-rather-shot-to-pieces-end-o_665482.jpg)
