--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But he doesn't love her. I invented that…" description: "\"But he doesn't love her. I invented that. It is a plot if you imagine people in love--the lazy looping criss crosses of love, blows, stares, tears. No...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/joyce-carol-oates-344_blow_but-he-doesn-t-love-her-i-invented-that_752507.jpg" --- # But he doesn't love her. I invented that. It is a plot if… ![“But he doesn't love her. I invented that. It is a plot if you imagine people in love--the lazy looping criss crosses of love, blows, stares, tears. No. It doesn't happen. No love. People meet, touch, stare into one another's faces, shake their heads clear, move on, forget. It doesn't happen.” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/joyce-carol-oates-344_blow_but-he-doesn-t-love-her-i-invented-that_752507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/joyce-carol-oates-344_blow_but-he-doesn-t-love-her-i-invented-that_752507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a62/joyce-carol-oates-344_blow_but-he-doesn-t-love-her-i-invented-that_752507.jpg) > “But he doesn't love her. I invented that. It is a plot if you imagine people in love--the lazy looping criss crosses of love, blows, stares, tears. No. It doesn't happen. No love. People meet, touch, stare into one another's faces, shake their heads clear, move on, forget. It doesn't happen.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects romantic idealism, describing love as a fleeting, unfulfilled encounter rather than a lasting connection. **In simple terms:** Love is portrayed as brief and empty. Key Takeaway Question the myth of lasting love. Themes romanticism disillusionment human connection Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - first dates - brief encounters - unrequited feelings - social interactions Key Concepts existentialism psychology narrative voice Questions to Reflect On - Do you believe love can be sustained? - What moments have you felt genuine connection? A Different Perspective It may overlook the depth of genuine intimacy that can develop over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) ## Related quotes > [Dear you …your like a granade your love blows me away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/dear-you-your-like-a-granade-your-love-blows-me-away/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [Never give the person that doesn't love you more attention than you give the people that do love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/never-give-the-person-that-doesn-t-love-you-more-attention-than-you/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [People say what's the point in loving someone who doesn't love you back,and they're right,there's no point. But you can't help who you love,it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-say-what-s-the-point-in-loving-someone-who-doesn-t-love-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Who doesn’t love cock?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/who-doesn-t-love-cock/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [He doesn’t love me. He might still love me as I was at fifteen, when I didn’t know any better. When I trusted everyone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-doesn-t-love-me-he-might-still-love-me-as-i-was-at-fifteen-when-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“He squeezes my hand. “Don’t be. They will love you.” But his words don’t comfort me. He doesn’t love me, so why should they?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-amare/he-squeezes-my-hand-don-t-be-they-will-love-you-but-his-words-don-t/) Mercy Amare > [Everyone says love is easy, but falling out of love with someone who doesn't love is what makes it hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-ann/everyone-says-love-is-easy-but-falling-out-of-love-with-someone-who/) [Kathryn Ann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-ann/) > [Don't fall in love with somebody who doesn't love you back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-fall-in-love-with-somebody-who-doesn-t-love-you-back/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loving someone who doesn't love you back is like hugging a cactus. The tighter you hold on, the more its going to hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-someone-who-doesn-t-love-you-back-is-like-hugging-a-cactus-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't love a person till you know him or her inside out, until you've lived with them and shared experience: sadness, joy, living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-barstow/you-can-t-love-a-person-till-you-know-him-or-her-inside-out-until-you/) Stan Barstow > [“3:29:50 pm what is it that you love about him is it the way he lets you down incapable of lifting you up is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-sin/3-29-50-pm-what-is-it-that-you-love-about-him-is-it-the-way-he-lets/) [R.H. Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-sin/) > [If he cheats on you, he doesn't love you. If He flirts with another girl he doesn't love you. If he spends time with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/if-he-cheats-on-you-he-doesn-t-love-you-if-he-flirts-with-another/) Author Name > [~ Loving the person who doesn't love you is called one-sided love. But loving the person just because that person loves you, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince/loving-the-person-who-doesn-t-love-you-is-called-one-sided-love-but/) [Vince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince/) > [God doesn't love me any more or less because I had some work done on my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/god-doesn-t-love-me-any-more-or-less-because-i-had-some-work-done-on/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Blow quotes > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our teeples, drowned the cocks! You sulphurour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/blow-winds-and-crack-your-cheeks-rage-blow-you-cataracts-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If he wants to blow his head off, let him. I don't give a damn about Jim Bakker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/if-he-wants-to-blow-his-head-off-let-him-i-don-t-give-a-damn-about/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Not I, not I, but the wind that blows through me! A fine wind is blowing the new direction of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/not-i-not-i-but-the-wind-that-blows-through-me-a-fine-wind-is-blowing/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [Music is a wind that blows away the years, memories, and fear, that crouching animal I carry inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/music-is-a-wind-that-blows-away-the-years-memories-and-fear-that/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [One of the wonderful things about Portlandia - and I'm not just blowing smoke, although I can blow smoke, but I'm not - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-raab/one-of-the-wonderful-things-about-portlandia-and-i-m-not-just-blowing/) [Scott Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-raab/) > [I would always find a way to blow the deal and I'm not sure why. I think there was part of me that wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-isaac/i-would-always-find-a-way-to-blow-the-deal-and-i-m-not-sure-why-i/) [Oscar Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-isaac/) > [Letters crossing in the post, unfamiliar tunes heard three times in one day, the way that blows of fate descend upon the same bowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/letters-crossing-in-the-post-unfamiliar-tunes-heard-three-times-in/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Truth is, right now two bombs could drop out of the sky and blow up this house and whatever building you're in and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/truth-is-right-now-two-bombs-could-drop-out-of-the-sky-and-blow-up/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The old saying is true: If you have only the Word, you dry up. If you have only the Spirit, you blow up. 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