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Day by day Quote by Margaret Atwood

“I want to see what can be seen, of him, take him in, memorize him, save him up so I can live on the image, later: the lines of his body, the texture of his flesh, the glisten of sweat on his pelt, his long sardonic unrevealing face. I ought to have done that with Luke, paid more attention, to the…” quote by Margaret Atwood
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““I want to see what can be seen, of him, take him in, memorize him, save him up so I can live on the image, later: the lines of his body, the texture of his flesh, the glisten of sweat on his pelt, his long sardonic unrevealing face. I ought to have done that with Luke, paid more attention, to the details, the moles and scares, the singular creases; I didn't and he's fading. Day by day, night by night he recedes, and I become more faithless.””

Margaret Atwood

About This Quote

Source Novel: Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood, 2003

The narrator regrets not fully observing a loved one, fearing loss of memory as that person fades away.

In simple terms: Regret for not noticing details before someone disappears.

Key Takeaway

Pay attention to people now.

Themes

memory loss regret observation

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • relationships
  • caregiving
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

existentialism human connection

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you preserve memories of loved ones?
  • What details do you overlook in daily life?
A Different Perspective

Memory fades without deliberate attention.

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