Broken mirror Quote by J G Ballard
““In the talcum on the floor around him he could see the imprints of his mother's feet. She had moved from side to side, propelled by an over-eager partner, perhaps one of the Japanese officers to whom she was teaching to tango. Jim tried out the dance steps himself, which seemed far more violent than any tango he had ever seen, and managed to fall and cut his hand on the broken mirror.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Day of the Triffids, 1962
A vivid scene of a girl’s dance imprint on dust, juxtaposed with violent, clumsy attempts at tango, ending in injury.
In simple terms: A mother’s foot prints and a violent dance lead to a broken hand.
Key Takeaway
Observe how small actions can have harsh consequences.
Themes
memory
violence
inheritance
Mood
dark
introspective
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- war zones
- family dynamics
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
trauma
cultural clash
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the broken mirror symbolize?
- How does the setting affect the characters’ behavior?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may romanticize suffering.
