--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lefty, who'd been observing all the ways…" description: "\"“Lefty, who'd been observing all the ways Greece had been handed down to America, arrived now at where the transmission stopped. In other words: the fu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desdemona_lefty-who-d-been-observing-all-the-ways_2085971.png" --- # Lefty, who'd been observing all the ways Greece had been… ![“Lefty, who'd been observing all the ways Greece had been handed down to America, arrived now at where the transmission stopped. In other words: the future. He stepped off to meet it. Desdemona, having no alternative, followed.” quote by Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desdemona_lefty-who-d-been-observing-all-the-ways_2085971.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desdemona_lefty-who-d-been-observing-all-the-ways_2085971.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/jeffrey-eugenides-462_desdemona_lefty-who-d-been-observing-all-the-ways_2085971.png) > ““Lefty, who'd been observing all the ways Greece had been handed down to America, arrived now at where the transmission stopped. In other words: the future. He stepped off to meet it. Desdemona, having no alternative, followed. ”” [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character reaches the point where future possibilities end, and he chooses to confront it, with another following out of necessity. **In simple terms:** Confronting the unknown together. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty with a companion. Themes future choice companionship Mood hopeful determined Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - career crossroads - relationship decisions - creative projects Key Concepts determinism existential risk Questions to Reflect On - What future are you hesitant to meet? - Who will accompany you into uncertainty? A Different Perspective Risk of losing direction without clear goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desdemona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desdemona/) [Greece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greece/) ## Related quotes > [What would my parents think about America if they arrived here today? Would they even want to come? I wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/what-would-my-parents-think-about-america-if-they-arrived-here-today/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [If she be not honest, chaste, and true, there's no man happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-she-be-not-honest-chaste-and-true-there-s-no-man-happy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Juliet singles out Romeo. Desdemona claims Othello. They have no doubts, the young, no fear, no pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/juliet-singles-out-romeo-desdemona-claims-othello-they-have-no-doubts/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Adam leaned down and placed his lips next to her ear. He blew gently on it before he spoke. Mona leaned even closer into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/adam-leaned-down-and-placed-his-lips-next-to-her-ear-he-blew-gently/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [“willow trees, willow trees they remind me of Desdemona I'm so damned literary and at the same time the waters rushing past remind me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/willow-trees-willow-trees-they-remind-me-of-desdemona-i-m-so-damned/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead. Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief Shore his old thread in twain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/poor-desdemona-i-am-glad-thy-father-s-dead-thy-match-was-mortal-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are no preconditions for jealousy. You don't have to be right, you don't have to be reasonable. Take Othello. He was neither right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/there-are-no-preconditions-for-jealousy-you-don-t-have-to-be-right/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [You are my country, Desdemona. ... My Egypt. My hot, harrowing desert and my cool, verdant Nile, infinitely lovely and unfathomable and sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/you-are-my-country-desdemona-my-egypt-my-hot-harrowing-desert-and-my/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/speak-of-me-as-i-am-nothing-extenuate-nor-set-down-aught-in-malice/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Othello' was my first Shakespearean discovery. I was obsessed with drama at school, and I studied the play for my English GCSE. Desdemona is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/othello-was-my-first-shakespearean-discovery-i-was-obsessed-with/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [“He stopped. She heard the intake of his breath. “You are my country, Desdemona.” Yearning, harsh and poignant and she felt herself swaying toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/he-stopped-she-heard-the-intake-of-his-breath-you-are-my-country/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [Space-ships and time machines are no escape from the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/space-ships-and-time-machines-are-no-escape-from-the-human-condition/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [IAGO: She that was ever fair and never proud, Had tongue at will and yet was never loud, Never lack'd gold and yet went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/iago-she-that-was-ever-fair-and-never-proud-had-tongue-at-will-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“God me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/god-me-such-uses-send-not-to-pick-bad-from-bad-but-by-bad-mend/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Everybody must pity Desdemona, but I cannot bring myself to like her. Her determination to marry Othello – it was she who virtually did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/everybody-must-pity-desdemona-but-i-cannot-bring-myself-to-like-her/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) ## More by Jeffrey Eugenides > [“Only the Lisbon house remained dark, a tunnel, an emptiness, past our smoke and flames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/only-the-lisbon-house-remained-dark-a-tunnel-an-emptiness-past-our/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“She had just started living like a grown-up and she'd never felt more vulnerable, frightened or confused in her life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/she-had-just-started-living-like-a-grown-up-and-she-d-never-felt-more/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [It's often said that a traumatic experience early in life marks a person forever, pulls her out of line, saying, "Stay there. Don't move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/it-s-often-said-that-a-traumatic-experience-early-in-life-marks-a/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Adolescents tend to seek love where they can find it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/adolescents-tend-to-seek-love-where-they-can-find-it/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“The window was still open,” Mr Lisbon said. “I don’t think we’d ever remembered to shut it. It was all clear to me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/the-window-was-still-open-mr-lisbon-said-i-don-t-think-we-d-ever/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I was aware that you weren't supposed to write about suburbia, that it was undignified in some way, the subject matter not momentous enough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-was-aware-that-you-weren-t-supposed-to-write-about-suburbia-that-it/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Dr. Armonson stitched up her wrist wounds. Within five minutes of the transfusion he declared her out of danger. Chucking her under the chin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/dr-armonson-stitched-up-her-wrist-wounds-within-five-minutes-of-the/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“I don't approve of women driving, mind you. And now they get to vote!" He grumbled to himself. "Remember that play we saw ("The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-don-t-approve-of-women-driving-mind-you-and-now-they-get-to-vote-he/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Her face was calm, but inside she was tense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/her-face-was-calm-but-inside-she-was-tense/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I know that attaching memories to books may be going out of the world, but while it lasts, it's a strong record of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-know-that-attaching-memories-to-books-may-be-going-out-of-the-world/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I spend most of every day writing. I like to write every day if I can. I don't start extremely early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-spend-most-of-every-day-writing-i-like-to-write-every-day-if-i-can/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Maybe the best proof that the language is patriarchal is that it oversimplifies feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/maybe-the-best-proof-that-the-language-is-patriarchal-is-that-it/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [We knew that Cecilia had killed herself because she was a misfit, because the beyond called to her, and we knew that her sisters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/we-knew-that-cecilia-had-killed-herself-because-she-was-a-misfit/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [You can tell when something's not moving forward anymore. When the doubts you have about it don't go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/you-can-tell-when-something-s-not-moving-forward-anymore-when-the/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Normality wasn't normal. It couldn't be. If normality were normal, everybody could leave it alone. They could sit back and let normality manifest itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/normality-wasn-t-normal-it-couldn-t-be-if-normality-were-normal/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) [Explore all 516 Jeffrey Eugenides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) ## More Desdemona quotes > [If she be not honest, chaste, and true, there's no man happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-she-be-not-honest-chaste-and-true-there-s-no-man-happy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“God me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/god-me-such-uses-send-not-to-pick-bad-from-bad-but-by-bad-mend/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [IAGO: She that was ever fair and never proud, Had tongue at will and yet was never loud, Never lack'd gold and yet went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/iago-she-that-was-ever-fair-and-never-proud-had-tongue-at-will-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Space-ships and time machines are no escape from the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/space-ships-and-time-machines-are-no-escape-from-the-human-condition/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [“He stopped. She heard the intake of his breath. “You are my country, Desdemona.” Yearning, harsh and poignant and she felt herself swaying toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/he-stopped-she-heard-the-intake-of-his-breath-you-are-my-country/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [Othello' was my first Shakespearean discovery. I was obsessed with drama at school, and I studied the play for my English GCSE. Desdemona is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/othello-was-my-first-shakespearean-discovery-i-was-obsessed-with/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [Speak of me as I am. Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/speak-of-me-as-i-am-nothing-extenuate-nor-set-down-aught-in-malice/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [You are my country, Desdemona. ... My Egypt. My hot, harrowing desert and my cool, verdant Nile, infinitely lovely and unfathomable and sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/you-are-my-country-desdemona-my-egypt-my-hot-harrowing-desert-and-my/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [There are no preconditions for jealousy. You don't have to be right, you don't have to be reasonable. Take Othello. He was neither right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/there-are-no-preconditions-for-jealousy-you-don-t-have-to-be-right/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead. Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief Shore his old thread in twain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/poor-desdemona-i-am-glad-thy-father-s-dead-thy-match-was-mortal-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“willow trees, willow trees they remind me of Desdemona I'm so damned literary and at the same time the waters rushing past remind me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/willow-trees-willow-trees-they-remind-me-of-desdemona-i-m-so-damned/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [“Adam leaned down and placed his lips next to her ear. He blew gently on it before he spoke. Mona leaned even closer into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/adam-leaned-down-and-placed-his-lips-next-to-her-ear-he-blew-gently/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [Juliet singles out Romeo. Desdemona claims Othello. They have no doubts, the young, no fear, no pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/juliet-singles-out-romeo-desdemona-claims-othello-they-have-no-doubts/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Everybody must pity Desdemona, but I cannot bring myself to like her. Her determination to marry Othello – it was she who virtually did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/everybody-must-pity-desdemona-but-i-cannot-bring-myself-to-like-her/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [ “The English letter ‘O’ is similar to zero (0) in appearance. Iago’s \[I am Ego = ‘I’ ‘a’m e‘go’\] name starts with an egoistic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/md-ziaul-haque/the-english-letter-o-is-similar-to-zero-0-in-appearance-iago-s-i-am/) [Md. Ziaul Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/md-ziaul-haque/) [Browse all 20 Desdemona quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desdemona/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Lefty, who'd been observing all the ways Greece had been handed down to America, arrived now at where the transmission stopped. In other words: the future. He stepped off to meet it. 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