--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have often perplexed myself over what I…" description: "\"“I have often perplexed myself over what I saw in Nelle Snyder's aged face at that moment. It was no look of paranoia. It was a look of waiting. Perpet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/james-glaeg-98220_titanic-commutator-m_i-have-often-perplexed-myself-over-what_1356984.jpg" --- # I have often perplexed myself over what I saw in Nelle… ![“I have often perplexed myself over what I saw in Nelle Snyder's aged face at that moment. It was no look of paranoia. It was a look of waiting. Perpetual waiting. That look was to come back to me sixteen years later when I heard Rose's narration at the end of James Cameron's Titanic, with its line…” quote by James Glaeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/james-glaeg-98220_titanic-commutator-m_i-have-often-perplexed-myself-over-what_1356984.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/james-glaeg-98220_titanic-commutator-m_i-have-often-perplexed-myself-over-what_1356984.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f9/james-glaeg-98220_titanic-commutator-m_i-have-often-perplexed-myself-over-what_1356984.jpg) > ““I have often perplexed myself over what I saw in Nelle Snyder's aged face at that moment. It was no look of paranoia. It was a look of waiting. Perpetual waiting. That look was to come back to me sixteen years later when I heard Rose's narration at the end of James Cameron's Titanic, with its line about survivors "waiting for an absolution that never came." Yet the waiting I saw in Nelle Snyder's face seemed larger even than a waiting for absolution. It seemed vaster even than Titanic herself. Call it the waiting of the Mother of all Perished Vessels. Or of a Ship of Honeymoon Dreams perchance, with a passenger list spanning all humanity, that once proudly sailed but was lost, aeons ago, and sank to a dark, unreachable abode where nothing whatsoever can be grasped about her except her perplexing power still to haunt us.”” [James Glaeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-glaeg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A meditation on waiting, grief, and the lingering presence of loss, likening it to a vast, timeless ship of souls. **In simple terms:** Waiting and loss echo forever. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and process lingering grief. Themes mourning patience existential memory loss Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal loss - historical reflection - artistic analysis Key Concepts time collective trauma mythic symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What does “waiting” feel like for you? - How can you find meaning in loss? A Different Perspective The metaphor may over‑dramaticize personal grief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cameron Titanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameron-titanic-4631996/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/james-cameron/) [Titanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titanic/) [Titanic Line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titanic-line-4631997/) [Titanic Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titanic-waiting-4631995/) [Waiting Absolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-absolution-4631998/) [Waiting Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-mother-732200/) ## Related quotes > [“For as I am standing there I look closer into the grandstand and see that there is someone waiting. It is my mother, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/for-as-i-am-standing-there-i-look-closer-into-the-grandstand-and-see/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [I do feel sorry for the Prince of Wales, waiting and waiting, while his mother looks better and better. She's not staying on because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bradford/i-do-feel-sorry-for-the-prince-of-wales-waiting-and-waiting-while-his/) [Sarah Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bradford/) > [“Dear Son, I would call you by name, but I’m waiting for your mother to decide. I only hope she is joking when she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/dear-son-i-would-call-you-by-name-but-i-m-waiting-for-your-mother-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [But after a few minutes of convincing myself that I really wanted to go - telling myself that I love skating and that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-kerrigan/but-after-a-few-minutes-of-convincing-myself-that-i-really-wanted-to/) [Nancy Kerrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-kerrigan/) > [I wanted to be Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Stanley Kubrick, David Cronenberg, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and Hitchcock. I'd wanted to be a director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-wanted-to-be-steven-spielberg-tim-burton-stanley-kubrick-david/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [The main stuff I like is from the late '60s to the early '90s. That's the stuff I love. It's the James Cameron's and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/the-main-stuff-i-like-is-from-the-late-60s-to-the-early-90s-that-s/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [James Cameron has always been great about changing the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-reyes/james-cameron-has-always-been-great-about-changing-the-rules/) [Natalia Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-reyes/) > [The only sci-fi movie that I've ever been offered that, had circumstances been different, I would have definitely done, was 'Avatar.' And I literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/the-only-sci-fi-movie-that-i-ve-ever-been-offered-that-had/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [James Cameron's films have always been distinguished by ground-breaking technical excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/james-cameron-s-films-have-always-been-distinguished-by-ground/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Well, I think the world changes around you,I think you don't change. That's as simple as that. I think if I changed, my mates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-worthington/well-i-think-the-world-changes-around-you-i-think-you-don-t-change/) [Sam Worthington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-worthington/) > [At the end of the day I have many answers for it. It has to do with my mom, who was an extraordinary woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-have-many-answers-for-it-it-has-to-do-with-my/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I was really young, like nine, when I saw the first 'Terminator', and I was amazed by the world they created, and everything James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-reyes/i-was-really-young-like-nine-when-i-saw-the-first-terminator-and-i/) [Natalia Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-reyes/) > [Instead of the 1997 film directed, written, by James Cameron with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane creating a love story and a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/instead-of-the-1997-film-directed-written-by-james-cameron-with/) [Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/) > [I love James Cameron. I love what he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zal-batmanglij/i-love-james-cameron-i-love-what-he-does/) [Zal Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zal-batmanglij/) > [I've heard from the movie marketplace that James Cameron did such a killer job with 'Titanic' that it's almost impossible to do anything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-ve-heard-from-the-movie-marketplace-that-james-cameron-did-such-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## More by James Glaeg > [“All that day we went about stunned – we, the small town of real people behind the corporate logo of a ringed blue planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-glaeg/all-that-day-we-went-about-stunned-we-the-small-town-of-real-people/) [James Glaeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-glaeg/) [Explore all 2 James Glaeg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-glaeg/) ## More Titanic quotes > [I've heard from the movie marketplace that James Cameron did such a killer job with 'Titanic' that it's almost impossible to do anything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-ve-heard-from-the-movie-marketplace-that-james-cameron-did-such-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Robertson called his ship the Titan; the White Star Line called its ship the Titanic. This is the story of her last night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lord/robertson-called-his-ship-the-titan-the-white-star-line-called-its/) [Walter Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lord/) > [I think I've definitely found a niche working in comedy, but dramatic films are what brought me here. After I saw 'Titanic' in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-craig/i-think-i-ve-definitely-found-a-niche-working-in-comedy-but-dramatic/) [Carly Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-craig/) > [She watch Titanic for the love story. I watch it for one scene with boobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/she-watch-titanic-for-the-love-story-i-watch-it-for-one-scene-with/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The Kate Winslet thing has been a shocker. I was like, that is the most ridiculous claim. Amazing, obviously. She's been my idol since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-pugh/the-kate-winslet-thing-has-been-a-shocker-i-was-like-that-is-the-most/) [Florence Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-pugh/) > [When I was 15, I came downstairs one morning, picked up mother's newspaper and, oh, what a shock! The Titanic had gone. The 'unsinkable'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allingham/when-i-was-15-i-came-downstairs-one-morning-picked-up-mother-s/) [Henry Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allingham/) > [“Our Titanic of a family sank deeper and deeper as time went on. But in a sick way, I'm almost glad it did. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/our-titanic-of-a-family-sank-deeper-and-deeper-as-time-went-on-but-in/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [Everyone has a 'Titanic for the first time' face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/everyone-has-a-titanic-for-the-first-time-face/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No thank you' to desert that night. And for what?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/just-think-of-all-those-women-on-the-titanic-who-said-no-thank-you-to/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [“He’s a love-’em-and-leave-’em kind of guy. And though he’s not a Lord, he does have a curse hanging over his head. I have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/he-s-a-love-em-and-leave-em-kind-of-guy-and-though-he-s-not-a-lord-he/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“Deciding to spit in the eye of every homely matron who ever warned her children not to stare into the sun directly, you crank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keidl/deciding-to-spit-in-the-eye-of-every-homely-matron-who-ever-warned/) [Daniel Keidl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keidl/) > [Jack never died in Titanic. He washed up on shore and began Inception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash/jack-never-died-in-titanic-he-washed-up-on-shore-and-began-inception/) [Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash/) > [“Before the Titanic, all was quiet. Afterward all was tumult. That is why, to anybody who lived at the time, the Titanic more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lord/before-the-titanic-all-was-quiet-afterward-all-was-tumult-that-is-why/) [Walter Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lord/) > [“If it’s only a kiss you want, I can kiss you with my clothes on.” —Katie O'Reilly to Captain Lord Blackthorn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jina-bacarr/if-it-s-only-a-kiss-you-want-i-can-kiss-you-with-my-clothes-on-katie/) [Jina Bacarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jina-bacarr/) > [“Womens Heart Is The Ocean Of Secrets..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/titanic/womens-heart-is-the-ocean-of-secrets/) [Titanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/titanic/) [Browse all 236 Titanic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titanic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have often perplexed myself over what I saw in Nelle Snyder's aged face at that moment. 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