Bathing suit Quote by Margaret Atwood
““My nakedness is strange to me already. My body seems outdated. Did I really wear bathing suits, at the beach? I did, without thought, among men, without caring that my legs, my arms, my thighs and back were on display, could be seen. Shameful, immodest. I avoid looking down at my body, not so much because it's shameful or immodest but because I don't want to see it. I don't want to look at something that determines me so completely.””
About This Quote
The narrator feels discomfort with their body, seeing it as an object that defines them, leading to avoidance and shame despite rational understanding.
In simple terms: Body image causes distress and avoidance.
Key Takeaway
Accept and normalize your body.
Themes
body image
self perception
shame
identity
vulnerability
Mood
melancholy
reflective
Type
personal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- body‑positive workshops
- self‑reflection exercises
Key Concepts
psychology of self
social norms
personal narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- What would change your view of your body?
- How can you separate identity from physical appearance?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may reinforce negative self‑talk.
![“It turned out to be just his sort of life in Melbourne [Florida] -- a little three-room mini apartment to himself, and down on the strip, five different bars where you had women going around in bathing suits. In the backyard, his mother's new husband had grown a miraculous tree, a lemon trunk…” quote by Wells Tower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e1/wells-tower-28754_196_it-turned-out-to-be-just-his-sort-of-lif_74216.jpg)
