Air Quote by Margaret Atwood
“For an instant she felt them, their identities, almost their substance, pass over her head like a wave. At some time she would be — or no, already she was like that too; she was one of them, her body the same, identical, merged with that other flesh that choked the air in the flowered room with its sweet organic scent; she felt suffocated by this thick sargasso-sea of femininity.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, 1985
The narrator experiences an overwhelming, almost physical merging of identity with other women, feeling both connection and suffocating loss of self.
In simple terms: She feels swallowed by collective femininity.
Key Takeaway
Recognize personal boundaries within group identity.
Themes
identity
femininity
conformity
alienation
Mood
intense
reflective
uneasy
Type
literary
psychological
feminist
When to use this quote
- social gatherings
- activist movements
- shared living spaces
- intimate relationships
Key Concepts
collective consciousness
gender roles
psychological immersion
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain self while belonging to a group?
- When does shared identity become oppressive?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overstate the loss of individuality, ignoring empowerment in solidarity.
![“Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]?... I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I’ve always…” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/lawrence-summers-16940_air_just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-wo_4703.jpg)
![“[A]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air. And be careful what you swallow.” quote by Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da8/dr-seuss-1224_advice_a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-f_6806.jpg)
