--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you've visited the underworld, you…" description: "\"“Once you've visited the underworld, you never forget the way back.”\" — Jeffrey Eugenides" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg" --- # Once you've visited the underworld, you never forget the… ![“Once you've visited the underworld, you never forget the way back.” quote by Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg) > ““Once you've visited the underworld, you never forget the way back.”” [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. Suggests that confronting deep, dark experiences leaves an indelible mark on one's psyche. **In simple terms:** Underworld experiences are unforgettable. Key Takeaway Acknowledge past trauma to navigate future paths. Themes trauma memory identity resilience Mood introspective somber Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - therapy - creative writing - life transitions - spiritual journeys Key Concepts Psychological imprint mythic underworld personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What "underworld" have you visited? - How do you find your way back? A Different Perspective Memories may distort reality over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Underworld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underworld/) ## Related quotes > [The No. 1 place I've visited so far was Antwerp, Belgium. That was one of the coolest cities I've ever seen. 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It was in an old house, and the residents were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/my-first-job-was-in-a-nursing-home-a-terrible-place-in-retrospect-it/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [I often visited a particular plant four or five miles distant, half a dozen times within a fortnight, that I might know exactly when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-often-visited-a-particular-plant-four-or-five-miles-distant-half-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When I was 12 years old, I went to Natchitoches, La.; it was summer vacation with my family. We visited a plantation, Melrose. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/when-i-was-12-years-old-i-went-to-natchitoches-la-it-was-summer/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) ## 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 Underworld quotes > [Guns are going to be here until the end of time; the underworld is going to be here until the end of time. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tech-n9ne/guns-are-going-to-be-here-until-the-end-of-time-the-underworld-is/) [Tech N9ne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tech-n9ne/) > [“Do you want me?” he whispered. It was a simple but loaded question. The answer, like it could remove all anguish from the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-noble/do-you-want-me-he-whispered-it-was-a-simple-but-loaded-question-the/) [M. R. Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-noble/) > [We belong to an age where apocalypse is our daily bread, coffee's black, and we know we're part of the abyss. Red Spider White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/we-belong-to-an-age-where-apocalypse-is-our-daily-bread-coffee-s/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Fair... You'd be amazed how often I hear that word, Frank Zhang,and how meaningless it is. Is it fair your life will burn so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/fair-you-d-be-amazed-how-often-i-hear-that-word-frank-zhang-and-how/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > ['Underworld' was my first filmed book. I think there are about seven of my lines in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/underworld-was-my-first-filmed-book-i-think-there-are-about-seven-of/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“I had plans, Karolina, and I chose power over love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-noble/i-had-plans-karolina-and-i-chose-power-over-love/) [M. R. Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-noble/) > [Quite often on a movie like Total Recall you have this training period of two or three months where, like on the first 'Underworld'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-farrell/quite-often-on-a-movie-like-total-recall-you-have-this-training/) [Colin Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-farrell/) > [I count 'Underworld 4' as my training period for 'Total Recall.' I do think it was hard because I didn't realize how tired I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-farrell/i-count-underworld-4-as-my-training-period-for-total-recall-i-do/) [Colin Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-farrell/) > [I hate to say this, but not everyone seems happy that you’re still alive,” Finn said, picking up on the glares coming my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/i-hate-to-say-this-but-not-everyone-seems-happy-that-you-re-still/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [I don't know anybody in the underworld. I make this stuff up. I don't know any criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/i-don-t-know-anybody-in-the-underworld-i-make-this-stuff-up-i-don-t/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) > [“The surface world may be as much a myth to the subterraneans as the underworld is to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priscilla-vogelbacher/the-surface-world-may-be-as-much-a-myth-to-the-subterraneans-as-the/) Priscilla Vogelbacher > [It was a silver cow. But when I say 'cow', don't go running away with the idea of some decent, self-respecting cudster such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-silver-cow-but-when-i-say-cow-don-t-go-running-away-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a fan of the 'Underworld' films, but I don't necessarily consider them horror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-draiman/i-m-a-fan-of-the-underworld-films-but-i-don-t-necessarily-consider/) [David Draiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-draiman/) > [“I didn't want us to abnormal. I didn't want all this chaos and underworld crap... but that's where we'd come from. The choas was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brooks/i-didn-t-want-us-to-abnormal-i-didn-t-want-all-this-chaos-and/) [Kevin Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brooks/) > [“There are two types of men, Karolina. The ones who can admire the greatness of the little flower. Or the ones who try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-noble/there-are-two-types-of-men-karolina-the-ones-who-can-admire-the/) [M. R. Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-noble/) [Browse all 164 Underworld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underworld/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Once you've visited the underworld, you never forget the way back.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeffrey Eugenides" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-never-forget-the-way-back/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Underworld" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-never-forget-the-way-back/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16b/jeffrey-eugenides-462_underworld_once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-n_710527.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once you've visited the underworld, you never forget the way back.” — Jeffrey Eugenides", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeffrey Eugenides", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Once you've visited the underworld, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-never-forget-the-way-back/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/once-you-ve-visited-the-underworld-you-never-forget-the-way-back/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```