--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The boys were tumbling about, clinging to…" description: "\"“The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs, imploring that numerous things be brought back to them. Mr. Pontellier was a great favorite, and l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg" --- # The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs… ![“The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs, imploring that numerous things be brought back to them. Mr. Pontellier was a great favorite, and ladies, men, children, even nurses, were always on hand to say goodby to him. His wife stood smiling and waving, the boys shouting, as he disappeared…” quote by Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg) > ““The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs, imploring that numerous things be brought back to them. Mr. Pontellier was a great favorite, and ladies, men, children, even nurses, were always on hand to say goodby to him. His wife stood smiling and waving, the boys shouting, as he disappeared in the old rockaway down the sandy road. A few days later a box arrived for Mrs. Pontellier from New Orleans. It was from her husband. It was filled with friandises, with luscious and toothsome bits--the finest of fruits, pates, a rare bottle or two, delicious syrups, and bonbons in abundance. Mrs. Pontellier was always very generous with the contents of such a box; she was quite used to receiving them when away from home. The pates and fruit were brought to the dining-room; the bonbons were passed around. And the ladies, selecting with dainty and discriminating fingers and a little greedily, all declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world. Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit that she knew of none better.”” [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A husband’s lavish gifts make him seem ideal, but the admiration is superficial and based on material generosity. **In simple terms:** Material gifts create a false image of the best husband Key Takeaway Recognize love beyond material offerings Themes relationships materialism perception Mood reflective critical Type narrative social commentary When to use this quote - family gatherings - gift exchanges - social events Key Concepts social status gift-giving validation Questions to Reflect On - What does true partnership look like beyond gifts? - How does materialism affect our view of love? A Different Perspective Material generosity can mask deeper relational issues ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brought Dining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brought-dining-3741295/) [Filled Friandises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled-friandises-3741294/) [Fruit Brought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-brought-3741292/) [New orleans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-orleans/) [Old rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-rock/) [Pontellier Forced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pontellier-forced-3741293/) [Pontellier Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pontellier-generous-3741291/) ## Related quotes > [If you think you are too old to rock 'n roll, then you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/if-you-think-you-are-too-old-to-rock-n-roll-then-you-are/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [The early Stones were adolescent rockers. They were self-conscious in an obvious and unpretentious way. And they were committed to a musical style that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/the-early-stones-were-adolescent-rockers-they-were-self-conscious-in/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [Oh no, I don't know, baby, might take all night. Better maybe break out that old rock and roll. Drink a little drink, smoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-church/oh-no-i-don-t-know-baby-might-take-all-night-better-maybe-break-out/) [Eric Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-church/) > [This is a record I ended up having to make to get on to the next stage of my life. What I did was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-haines/this-is-a-record-i-ended-up-having-to-make-to-get-on-to-the-next/) [Luke Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-haines/) > [Who wants to be a 40-year-old rock and roller? You cannot live in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-clark/who-wants-to-be-a-40-year-old-rock-and-roller-you-cannot-live-in-the/) [Dave Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-clark/) > [A 30-year-old rock climber is an old man. At 40, one is in the middle of his high-altitude power. At 50, a crosser of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/a-30-year-old-rock-climber-is-an-old-man-at-40-one-is-in-the-middle/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Who hasn't made mistakes? I once french kissed a dog at a party to try to impress what turned out to be a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz/who-hasn-t-made-mistakes-i-once-french-kissed-a-dog-at-a-party-to-try/) [LIZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz/) > [“What would you like for your own life, Kate, if you could choose?” “Anything?” “Of course anything.” “That’s really easy, Aunty Ivy.” “Go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentina-hepburn/what-would-you-like-for-your-own-life-kate-if-you-could-choose/) [Valentina Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentina-hepburn/) > [“you're a terrible liar. sarah never mentioned me, because there's nothing to say. when did that happen. when did the old rock-climbing, mutiple-master's-degree kate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-verge-higgins/you-re-a-terrible-liar-sarah-never-mentioned-me-because-there-s/) [Lisa Verge Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-verge-higgins/) > [ “\[About Uluru\] I'm suggesting nothing here, but I will say that if you were an intergalactic traveler who had broken down in our solar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/about-uluru-i-m-suggesting-nothing-here-but-i-will-say-that-if-you/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [I shop at thrift stores a lot. I have a lot of silver pitchers and I put my flowers in those. I collect antiques,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/i-shop-at-thrift-stores-a-lot-i-have-a-lot-of-silver-pitchers-and-i/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I like old rockabilly style. I always wear denim on denim with suspenders and slicked back hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sung-jin-park/i-like-old-rockabilly-style-i-always-wear-denim-on-denim-with/) [Sung Jin Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sung-jin-park/) > [A lot of people say writers start losing their powers after 60 or 65. But I look at the best-seller list and see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/a-lot-of-people-say-writers-start-losing-their-powers-after-60-or-65/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I didn't read this book--I inhaled it. This a terrific new take on a great old rock n roll story, a clash of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mckeen/i-didn-t-read-this-book-i-inhaled-it-this-a-terrific-new-take-on-a/) [William McKeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mckeen/) > [Now and then when I get an idea for a picture, I think, how ordinary. Why paint that old rock? Why not go for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/now-and-then-when-i-get-an-idea-for-a-picture-i-think-how-ordinary/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) ## More by Kate Chopin > [“If ever a fusion of two human beings into one has been accomplished on this sphere it was surely their union.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/if-ever-a-fusion-of-two-human-beings-into-one-has-been-accomplished/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [She wanted something to happen - something, anything: she did not know what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/she-wanted-something-to-happen-something-anything-she-did-not-know/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“His manner invited easy confidence. The preliminary stage of becoming acquainted was one which he always endeavored to ignore when a pretty and engaging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/his-manner-invited-easy-confidence-the-preliminary-stage-of-becoming/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“The trouble is," sighed the Doctor, grasping her meaning intuitively, "that youth is given up to illusions. It seems to be a provision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-trouble-is-sighed-the-doctor-grasping-her-meaning-intuitively/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [There were days when she was unhappy, she did not know why,--when it did not seem worthwhile to be glad or sorry, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/there-were-days-when-she-was-unhappy-she-did-not-know-why-when-it-did/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-bird-that-would-soar-above-the-level-plain-of-tradition-and/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [It is greater than the stars - that moving procession of human energy; greater than the palpitating earth and the things growing thereon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/it-is-greater-than-the-stars-that-moving-procession-of-human-energy/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“Some people are born with a vital and responsive energy. It not only enables them to keep abreast of the times; it qualifies them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/some-people-are-born-with-a-vital-and-responsive-energy-it-not-only/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“The stillest hour of the night had come, the hour before dawn, when the world seems to hold its breath. The moon hung low,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-stillest-hour-of-the-night-had-come-the-hour-before-dawn-when-the/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [The city atmosphere certainly has improved her. Some way she doesn't seem like the same woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-city-atmosphere-certainly-has-improved-her-some-way-she-doesn-t/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“Robert's going had some way taken the brightness, the color, the meaning out of everything. The conditions of her life were in no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/robert-s-going-had-some-way-taken-the-brightness-the-color-the/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/spring-days-and-summer-days-and-all-sorts-of-days-that-would-be-her/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“Do you suppose a woman knows why she loves? Does she select?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/do-you-suppose-a-woman-knows-why-she-loves-does-she-select/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [“I hope you won't completely forget me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/i-hope-you-won-t-completely-forget-me/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [I'm going to pull myself together for a while and think-try to determine what character of a woman I am; for, candidly, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/i-m-going-to-pull-myself-together-for-a-while-and-think-try-to/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) [Explore all 157 Kate Chopin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) ## More New orleans quotes > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [What we do in New Orleans, man - we party!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/what-we-do-in-new-orleans-man-we-party/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [My office in New York is overflowing with all kinds of cookbooks, and in New Orleans we have a huge culinary library. So yeah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/my-office-in-new-york-is-overflowing-with-all-kinds-of-cookbooks-and/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [To be playing in my first Super Bowl in New Orleans, it's special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-reed/to-be-playing-in-my-first-super-bowl-in-new-orleans-it-s-special/) [Ed Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-reed/) > [New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/new-orleans-food-is-as-delicious-as-the-less-criminal-forms-of-sin/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Something will be there when the flood recedes. We know that. It will be those people now standing in the water, and on those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/something-will-be-there-when-the-flood-recedes-we-know-that-it-will/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [I returned to New Orleans and my problems with pari-mutuel windows and a dark-haired, milk-skinned wife from Martinique who went home with men from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-returned-to-new-orleans-and-my-problems-with-pari-mutuel-windows/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born in New Orleans, but I grew up in Hawaii. That was a paradise. That's a paradise I keep inside of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-hamby/i-was-born-in-new-orleans-but-i-grew-up-in-hawaii-that-was-a-paradise/) [Barbara Hamby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-hamby/) > [Everything in New Orleans is a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/everything-in-new-orleans-is-a-good-idea/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [The workman cut to the left, still laying on his horn, and roared around the drunkenly weaving limousine. He invited the driver of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-workman-cut-to-the-left-still-laying-on-his-horn-and-roared/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Everybody in the world now wants to twerk. We don't twerk here in New Orleans, we bounce, we wiggle, we wobble, we shake, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-freedia/everybody-in-the-world-now-wants-to-twerk-we-don-t-twerk-here-in-new/) [Big Freedia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-freedia/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [“Every town has ‘THAT house’: the one that once held dark secrets. You know the house… the one no one will purchase? The one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-caskey/every-town-has-that-house-the-one-that-once-held-dark-secrets-you/) [James Caskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-caskey/) > [ “According to the 2003 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 25.8 percent of \[New Orleans\] population lives below the poverty line... This is more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sothern/according-to-the-2003-data-from-the-u-s-census-bureau-25-8-percent-of/) [Billy Sothern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sothern/) [Browse all 888 New orleans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-orleans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs, imploring that numerous things be brought back to them. Mr. Pontellier was a great favorite, and ladies, men, children, even nurses, were always on hand to say goodby to him. His wife stood smiling and waving, the boys shouting, as he disappeared in the old rockaway down the sandy road. A few days later a box arrived for Mrs. Pontellier from New Orleans. It was from her husband. It was filled with friandises, with luscious and toothsome bits--the finest of fruits, pates, a rare bottle or two, delicious syrups, and bonbons in abundance. Mrs. Pontellier was always very generous with the contents of such a box; she was quite used to receiving them when away from home. The pates and fruit were brought to the dining-room; the bonbons were passed around. And the ladies, selecting with dainty and discriminating fingers and a little greedily, all declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world. Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit that she knew of none better.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kate Chopin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to-his-legs-imploring-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "New orleans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to-his-legs-imploring-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/kate-chopin-2624_new-orleans_the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to_2843388.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs, imploring that numerous things be brought back to them…” — Kate Chopin", "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": "Kate Chopin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The boys were tumbling about, clinging...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to-his-legs-imploring-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/the-boys-were-tumbling-about-clinging-to-his-legs-imploring-that/#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 } } ] } ```