Grief Quote by Marilynne Robinson
““from HOUSEKEEPING, by Marilynne Robinson: There is remembrance, and communion, altogether human and unhallowed. For families will not be broken. Curse and expel them, send their children wandering, drown them in floods and fires, and old women will make songs out of all these sorrows and sit in the porches and sing them on mild evenings. Every sorrow suggests a thousand songs, and every song recalls a thousand sorrows, and so they are infinite in number and all the same.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson, 1980
The passage reflects on how human memory and shared suffering create endless cycles of sorrow and song, linking families, loss, and communal expression.
In simple terms: Memory and shared sorrow create endless songs.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the power of shared stories.
Themes
memory
community
loss
art
family
Mood
reflective
melancholic
hopeful
Type
literary
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- family gatherings
- grief rituals
- cultural storytelling
- healing through art
- intergenerational dialogue
Key Concepts
sorrow
song
remembrance
human connection
Questions to Reflect On
- How do shared stories help us cope?
- Can we break the cycle of sorrow through new narratives?
A Different Perspective
The endless loop may romanticize suffering rather than promote healing.
