Avoidant-attachment Quote by Mark Twain
““The coyote is a long, slim, sick and sorry-looking skeleton, with a gray wolfskin stretched over it, a tolerably bushy tail that forever sags down with a despairing expression of forsakenness and misery, a furtive and evil eye, and a long, sharp face, with slightly lifted lip and exposed teeth. He has a general slinking expression all over. The coyote is a living, breathing allegory of Want. He is always hungry. He is always poor, out of luck, and friendless. The meanest creatures despise him, and even the fleas would desert him for a velocipede. He is so spirtless and cowardly that even while his exposed teeth are pretending a threat, the rest of his face is apologizing for it. And he is so homely! -so scrawny, and ribby, and coarse-haired, and pitiful.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Roughing It by Mark Twain, 1872
The coyote embodies endless desire, perpetual hunger, and social marginalization, reflecting human longing and inadequacy.
In simple terms: The coyote symbolizes never‑ending want and loneliness.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address your own cravings.
Themes
desire
loneliness
poverty
self‑image
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- character analysis
Key Concepts
existentialism
symbolism
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What desires drive you?
- How do you cope with feeling marginalized?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑simplify complex social issues.
