Chewing Quote by Kevin Brockmeier
““Occasionally, in the stillness of a taxi or an airplane, she would catalog the pleasures she had lost. Cigarettes. Chewing gum. Strong mint toothpaste. Any food with hard edges or sharp corners that could pierce or abrade the inside of her mouth: potato chips, croutons, crunchy peanut butter. Any food that was more than infinitesimally, protozoically, spicy or tangy or salty or acidic: pesto or Worcestershire sauce, wasabi or anchovies, tomato juice or movie-theater popcorn. Certain pamphlets and magazines whose paper carried a caustic wafting chemical scent she could taste as she turned the pages. Perfume. Incense. Library books. Long hours of easy conversation. The ability to lick an envelope without worrying that the glue had irritated her mouth. The knowledge that if she heard a song she liked, she could sing along to it in all her dreadful jubilant tunelessness. The faith that if she bit her tongue, she would soon feel better rather than worse.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier, 2006
She reflects on sensory pleasures she can no longer enjoy, highlighting loss and longing for simple, tactile experiences.
In simple terms: Missing sensory joys cause yearning.
Key Takeaway
Notice and cherish everyday sensations.
Themes
loss
sensory
longing
memory
identity
Mood
melancholy
reflective
nostalgic
Type
literary
personal
reflective
When to use this quote
- travel
- reading
- eating
- personal reflection
- health challenges
Key Concepts
nostalgia
embodiment
sensory deprivation
Questions to Reflect On
- What small pleasure can you rediscover today?
- How does sensory loss shape identity?
A Different Perspective
She may be romanticizing past pleasures, overlooking present possibilities.
