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Blind man Quote by Jean Rhys

“But I went on thinking about false teeth, and then about piano-keys and about that time the blind man from Martinique came to tune the piano and then he played and we listened to him sitting in the dark with the jalousies shut because it was pouring with rain and my father said, 'You are a real…” quote by Jean Rhys
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““But I went on thinking about false teeth, and then about piano-keys and about that time the blind man from Martinique came to tune the piano and then he played and we listened to him sitting in the dark with the jalousies shut because it was pouring with rain and my father said, 'You are a real musician.' He had a red moustache, my father. And Hester was always saying, 'Poor Gerald, poor Gerald.' But if you'd seen him walking up Market Street, swinging his arms and with his brown shoes flashing in the sun, you wouldn't have been sorry for him. That time when he say, 'The Welsh word for grief is hiraeth.' Hiraeth. And that time when I was crying about nothing and I thought he'd be wild, but he hugged me up and he didn't say anything. I had on a coral brooch and it got crushed. He hugged me up and then he said, 'I believe you're going to be like me, you poor little devil.' And that time when Mr Crowe said, 'You don't mean to say you're backing up that damned French monkey?' meaning the Governor, 'I've met some Englishmen,' he said, 'who were monkeys too.””

Jean Rhys

About This Quote

A vivid, fragmented recollection blends sensory details, personal anecdotes, and cultural references, evoking nostalgia and emotional complexity.

In simple terms: Memory mixes sounds, sights, and feelings into a rich, bittersweet tapestry.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the richness of fragmented memories.

Themes

memory nostalgia culture identity

Mood

reflective poetic

Type

literary narrative

When to use this quote

  • creative writing
  • storytelling
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

fragmented narrative sensory detail emotional resonance

Questions to Reflect On

  • What emotions surface from this recollection?
  • How do sensory details shape memory?
A Different Perspective

Fragmented memories can obscure clarity.

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