Right side Quote by Lawrence Durrell
““It was cold in the street and I crossed to the lighted blaze of shops in Rue Fuad. In a grocer’s window I saw a small tin of olives with the name Orvieto on it, and overcome by a sudden longing to be on the right side of the Mediterranean, entered the shop: bought it: had it opened there and then: and sitting down at a marble table in that gruesome light I began to eat Italy, its dark scorched flesh, hand-modelled spring soil, dedicated vines. I felt that Melissa would never understand this. I should have to pretend I had lost the money. I did not see at first the great car which she had abandoned in the street with its engine running. She came into the shop with swift and resolute suddenness and said, with the air of authority that Lesbians, or women with money, assume with the obviously indigent: ‘What did you mean by your remark about the antinomian nature of irony?’ — or some such sally which I have forgotten.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “The Alexandria Quartet” by Lawrence Durrell, 1962
A vivid, sensory description of longing for Mediterranean culture, juxtaposed with personal conflict and absurd dialogue.
In simple terms: Longing for place and identity.
Key Takeaway
Seek authentic experiences.
Themes
longing
culture
identity
absurdity
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- travel
- food
- personal crisis
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
existentialism
sensory detail
Questions to Reflect On
- How does place shape identity?
- What role does absurdity play in self‑discovery?
A Different Perspective
The narrative can be overly ornate, obscuring clarity.
![“We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.[so we can see the bright side of everything]” quote by Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/340/earl-nightingale-1728_bright_we-all-walk-in-the-dark-and-each-of-us-m_81497.jpg)