Arms Quote by Jeanette Winterson
“This is where the story starts, in this threadbare room. The walls are exploding. The windows have turned into telescopes. Moon and stars are magnified in this room. The sun hangs over the mantelpiece. I stretch out my hand and reach the corners of the world. The world is bundled up in this room. Beyond the door, where the river is, where the roads are, we shall be. We can take the world with us when we go and sling the sun under your arm. Hurry now, it's getting late. I don't know if this is a happy ending but here we are let loose in open fields.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson, 1987
A vivid, surreal description of a room that contains the whole world, expressing longing to carry wonder beyond confines.
In simple terms: A room holds the world, urging us to take wonder with us.
Key Takeaway
Embrace imagination and carry wonder outward.
Themes
imagination
longing
wonder
transcendence
Mood
dreamy
hopeful
reflective
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- personal reflection
- travel inspiration
Key Concepts
surrealism
metaphor
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “the world” represent for you?
- How can you bring wonder into daily life?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure practical action; not all can literally carry the world.
