--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't understand how she could have…" description: "\"“I can't understand how she could have wanted to live back here, away from everything,\" said Jane. \"Oh, I can easily understand that,\" said Anne though..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/l-m-montgomery-567_anne_i-can-t-understand-how-she-could-have-wa_3234366.jpg" --- # I can't understand how she could have wanted to live back… ![“I can't understand how she could have wanted to live back here, away from everything," said Jane. "Oh, I can easily understand that," said Anne thoughtfully. "I wouldn't want it myself for a steady thing because, although I love the fields and woods, I love people too...” quote by L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/l-m-montgomery-567_anne_i-can-t-understand-how-she-could-have-wa_3234366.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/l-m-montgomery-567_anne_i-can-t-understand-how-she-could-have-wa_3234366.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/l-m-montgomery-567_anne_i-can-t-understand-how-she-could-have-wa_3234366.jpg) > ““I can't understand how she could have wanted to live back here, away from everything," said Jane. "Oh, I can easily understand that," said Anne thoughtfully. "I wouldn't want it myself for a steady thing because, although I love the fields and woods, I love people too...”” [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Characters grapple with the tension between love for nature and love for people, reflecting personal priorities and the desire for stability. **In simple terms:** Choosing between solitude and community is complex. Key Takeaway Balance personal passions with relationships. Themes nature community choice Mood contemplative nostalgic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - relocation decisions - relationship commitments Key Concepts personal values attachment life decisions Questions to Reflect On - What does “steady thing” mean to you? - How can you honor both nature and people? A Different Perspective Balancing both may lead to compromise or conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [L-m-montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/l-m-montgomery/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woods/) ## Related quotes > [“We have come to a parting of the ways, I suppose", said Anne thoughtfully." we had to come to it, do you think, Diana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/we-have-come-to-a-parting-of-the-ways-i-suppose-said-anne/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“It's a very bad habit to put off disagreeable things...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-s-a-very-bad-habit-to-put-off-disagreeable-things/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“...And every day in heaven will be more beautiful than the one before it Davy," assured Anne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/and-every-day-in-heaven-will-be-more-beautiful-than-the-one-before-it/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Do you know, Mrs. Allan, I'm thankful for friendship. It beautifies life so much." "True friendship is a very helpful thing indeed," said Mrs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/do-you-know-mrs-allan-i-m-thankful-for-friendship-it-beautifies-life/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I guess you've got a spice of temper," commented Mr. Harrison, surveying the flushed cheeks and indignant eyes opposite him. "It goes with hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-guess-you-ve-got-a-spice-of-temper-commented-mr-harrison-surveying/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“But maybe everything'll go all right. In this world you've just got to hope for the best and prepare for the worst and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/but-maybe-everything-ll-go-all-right-in-this-world-you-ve-just-got-to/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“One can always find something lovely to look at or listen to,' said Anne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/one-can-always-find-something-lovely-to-look-at-or-listen-to-said-anne/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Perhaps it was nothing very dreadful after all. I think the little things in life often make more trouble than the big things,' said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/perhaps-it-was-nothing-very-dreadful-after-all-i-think-the-little/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [Most of the trouble in life comes from misunderstanding, I think,' said Anne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-the-trouble-in-life-comes-from-misunderstanding-i-think-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Words aren't made — they grow,' said Anne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-aren-t-made-they-grow-said-anne/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who are different from other people are always called peculiar,' said Anne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-who-are-different-from-other-people-are-always-called-peculiar/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It seems to me a most dreadful thing to go out of the world and not leave one person behind you who is sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-seems-to-me-a-most-dreadful-thing-to-go-out-of-the-world-and-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are some things you gonna have to learn to live with. They never go away. Teach yourself that on the easy stuff, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jt-squier/there-are-some-things-you-gonna-have-to-learn-to-live-with-they-never/) JT Squier > [Save one-third, live on one-third, and give away one-third](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/save-one-third-live-on-one-third-and-give-away-one-third/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [When you live away from your family, your friends and faculty become your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-nadar/when-you-live-away-from-your-family-your-friends-and-faculty-become/) [Shiv Nadar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-nadar/) ## More by L.M. Montgomery > [“The other day Nan said, 'Nothing can ever be quite the same for any of us again.' It made me feel rebellious. Why shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/the-other-day-nan-said-nothing-can-ever-be-quite-the-same-for-any-of/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“It's a very bad habit to put off disagreeable things...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-s-a-very-bad-habit-to-put-off-disagreeable-things/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Who was it said, ‘We forget because we must’? He was right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/who-was-it-said-we-forget-because-we-must-he-was-right/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I don't think it's any help that it's your habit. What would you think of a person who went about sticking pins and needles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-help-that-it-s-your-habit-what-would-you-think/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“What a splendid day! Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this? I pity the people who aren't born yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/what-a-splendid-day-isn-t-it-good-just-to-be-alive-on-a-day-like-this/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I told you the Bible was more to be depended on than newspapers!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-told-you-the-bible-was-more-to-be-depended-on-than-newspapers/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“On a day like this there's no such word as fail in my bright lexicon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/on-a-day-like-this-there-s-no-such-word-as-fail-in-my-bright-lexicon/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I took the brooch because I was too overcome with irresistible temptation. I was imagining I was Lady Cordelia Fitzgerald, and I just had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-took-the-brooch-because-i-was-too-overcome-with-irresistible/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“…she made a poem on it at once, the lines singing themselves through her consciousness without effort. With one side of her nature she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/she-made-a-poem-on-it-at-once-the-lines-singing-themselves-through/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I think there are two kinds of TRUE THINGS-- true things that ARE, and true things that ARE NOT, but MIGHT be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-think-there-are-two-kinds-of-true-things-true-things-that-are-and/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“when the darkness is close to us it is a friend. But when we sorter push it away from us—divorce ourselves from it, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/when-the-darkness-is-close-to-us-it-is-a-friend-but-when-we-sorter/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Yesterday she had been all her own. Now she was this man's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/yesterday-she-had-been-all-her-own-now-she-was-this-man-s/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I suppose that's how it looks in prose. But it's very different if you look at it through poetry…and I think it's nicer…' Anne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-suppose-that-s-how-it-looks-in-prose-but-it-s-very-different-if-you/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Ilse and I hunted all over the old orchard today for a four-leaved clover and couldn't find one. Then I found one in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/ilse-and-i-hunted-all-over-the-old-orchard-today-for-a-four-leaved/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Nothing seems worthwhile. My very thoughts are old. I've thought them all before. What is the use of living after all, Anne?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/nothing-seems-worthwhile-my-very-thoughts-are-old-i-ve-thought-them/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) [Explore all 463 L.M. Montgomery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## More Anne quotes > [“Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/despite-everything-i-believe-people-are-really-good-at-heart/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“My dream is to create something so beautiful that it encourages people to present the best version of themselves to me everywhere I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/my-dream-is-to-create-something-so-beautiful-that-it-encourages/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > ['The Sound of Things Falling' may be a page turner, but it's also a deep meditation on fate and death. Even in translation, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-sound-of-things-falling-may-be-a-page-turner-but-it-s-also-a-deep/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [Princess Anne is like her father. From her, you'll never hear a complaint of any kind about her upbringing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyles-brandreth/princess-anne-is-like-her-father-from-her-you-ll-never-hear-a/) [Gyles Brandreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyles-brandreth/) > [“I am such a bad girl," she thought. Yet...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-am-such-a-bad-girl-she-thought-yet/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“One little boy, and he a bastard,' Anne said thoughtfully. 'One little girl of six, one elderly Queen and a King in the prime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/one-little-boy-and-he-a-bastard-anne-said-thoughtfully-one-little/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Here are a few of the actors who have brought my novels to TV life: Bill Pullman, Holly Hunter, Frances McDormand, Julian Sands, Gena…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luanne-rice/here-are-a-few-of-the-actors-who-have-brought-my-novels-to-tv-life/) [Luanne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luanne-rice/) > [“I’m sensitive. I’m nothing but a big ball of mushy sensitive stuff inside. Tell her, pumpkin.” “Your son is very sensitive,” I dutifully recited.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/i-m-sensitive-i-m-nothing-but-a-big-ball-of-mushy-sensitive-stuff/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) > [“As her feet beat the concrete ground beneath them, her chest began to ache. It had been a long time since she had run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/as-her-feet-beat-the-concrete-ground-beneath-them-her-chest-began-to/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [When my husband Jonas and I started Auntie Anne's in 1988, we never expected or anticipated building an international pretzel franchise. It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-f-beiler/when-my-husband-jonas-and-i-started-auntie-anne-s-in-1988-we-never/) [Anne F. Beiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-f-beiler/) > [“Oh Angus,” she moaned. “Can’t you just use your…you know…your powers to clean this up?” Angus was walking to the kitchen, wiping his face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-mabeuse/oh-angus-she-moaned-can-t-you-just-use-your-you-know-your-powers-to/) [Elliot Mabeuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-mabeuse/) > [Words aren't made — they grow,' said Anne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-aren-t-made-they-grow-said-anne/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anne laughed. "I don't want sunbursts or marble halls, I just want you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anne-laughed-i-don-t-want-sunbursts-or-marble-halls-i-just-want-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anne Shirley. Anne with an "e.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anne-shirley-anne-with-an-e/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 161 Anne quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I can't understand how she could have wanted to live back here, away from everything,\" said Jane. \"Oh, I can easily understand that,\" said Anne thoughtfully. \"I wouldn't want it myself for a steady thing because, although I love the fields and woods, I love people too...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "L.M. 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