--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: T. S. Eliot taught us you can write about…" description: "\"“T. S. Eliot taught us you can write about your nervous breakdown, but call it 'The Wasteland' and make it big and crazy enough to hide behind.”\" — Mar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/mary-jo-bang-35145_anxiety_t-s-eliot-taught-us-you-can-write-about_2560415.jpg" --- # T. S. Eliot taught us you can write about your nervous… ![“T. S. Eliot taught us you can write about your nervous breakdown, but call it 'The Wasteland' and make it big and crazy enough to hide behind.” quote by Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/mary-jo-bang-35145_anxiety_t-s-eliot-taught-us-you-can-write-about_2560415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/mary-jo-bang-35145_anxiety_t-s-eliot-taught-us-you-can-write-about_2560415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/mary-jo-bang-35145_anxiety_t-s-eliot-taught-us-you-can-write-about_2560415.jpg) > ““T. S. Eliot taught us you can write about your nervous breakdown, but call it 'The Wasteland' and make it big and crazy enough to hide behind.”” [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Eliot’s method lets writers mask personal turmoil behind grand, chaotic works. **In simple terms:** Writers hide pain in big, chaotic art. Key Takeaway Recognize art as a coping tool. Themes art mental health masking Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary psychological When to use this quote - creative writing - therapy - self-expression - critical analysis Key Concepts literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does art conceal pain? - When is it healthy to mask trauma? A Different Perspective May glorify suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Nervous breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous-breakdown/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [One tragic example of the loss of forests and then water is found in Ethiopia. The amount of its forested land has decreased from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/one-tragic-example-of-the-loss-of-forests-and-then-water-is-found-in/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Knowledge is awareness, and to it are many paths, not all of them paved with logic. But sometimes one is guided through the maze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/knowledge-is-awareness-and-to-it-are-many-paths-not-all-of-them-paved/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [What do you do there, moon, in the sky? Tell me what you do, silent moon. When evening comes you rise and go contemplating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-you-do-there-moon-in-the-sky-tell-me-what-you-do-silent-moon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They say no land remains to be discovered, no continent is left unexplored. But the whole world is out there, waiting, just waiting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-ann-sandell/they-say-no-land-remains-to-be-discovered-no-continent-is-left/) [Lisa Ann Sandell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-ann-sandell/) > [Don't leave it all unsaid, somewhere in the wasteland of your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-leave-it-all-unsaid-somewhere-in-the-wasteland-of-your-head/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm Lord of the wasteland, a modern man of steel. I gather darkness to please me, and I command you to kneel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiss/i-m-lord-of-the-wasteland-a-modern-man-of-steel-i-gather-darkness-to/) [KISS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiss/) > [Big? Sure. But, he can't catch mice! So for your big tree. No use? Then plant it in the wasteland - in emptiness. Walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/big-sure-but-he-can-t-catch-mice-so-for-your-big-tree-no-use-then/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [“But the wasteland of Illinois had driven me to Scripture reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-torode/but-the-wasteland-of-illinois-had-driven-me-to-scripture-reading/) [Sam Torode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-torode/) > [“I am familiar with the phrase, ‘needle in a haystack’ and I think I understand its meaning more than I wish to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wasteland-david-sadler/i-am-familiar-with-the-phrase-needle-in-a-haystack-and-i-think-i/) Wasteland David Sadler > [Stage work, that's all I have in my background. Wasteland was my first TV experience. Dawson's was my first long-term, I mean the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-alexander/stage-work-that-s-all-i-have-in-my-background-wasteland-was-my-first/) [Sasha Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-alexander/) > [The desert seems to be a brown wasteland of dry, prickly scrub whose only purpose is to serve as a setting for the majestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/the-desert-seems-to-be-a-brown-wasteland-of-dry-prickly-scrub-whose/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [“this library is another desert. A wasteland of words instead of sand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-donaldson/this-library-is-another-desert-a-wasteland-of-words-instead-of-sand/) [Stephen R. Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-donaldson/) > [“VIEW FROM A HILL I am not yet quite over it. I am lying down on top of it. Surveying behind me a wasteland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tottenham/view-from-a-hill-i-am-not-yet-quite-over-it-i-am-lying-down-on-top-of/) [John Tottenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tottenham/) > [“One day it may feel as if energy and enthusiasm are quenched, feelings dried up and emotions scorched, love and affection tangled in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/one-day-it-may-feel-as-if-energy-and-enthusiasm-are-quenched-feelings/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Television is a vast wasteland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newton-n-minow/television-is-a-vast-wasteland/) [Newton N. Minow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newton-n-minow/) ## More by Mary Jo Bang > [“He appointed a general Overseer who would, as time went on, transfer All the pointless wealth from nation to nation, From one family to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/he-appointed-a-general-overseer-who-would-as-time-went-on-transfer/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [What is desire but the hard wire argument given to the mind's unstoppable mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/what-is-desire-but-the-hard-wire-argument-given-to-the-mind-s/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“Hoarding and wasting kept them out of Heaven And brought them to this barroom brawl; I won't try to prettify it with words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/hoarding-and-wasting-kept-them-out-of-heaven-and-brought-them-to-this/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“You were. You are The brightest thing in the shop window And the most beautiful seldom I ever saw”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/you-were-you-are-the-brightest-thing-in-the-shop-window-and-the-most/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [And now the question: what do we do with the longing for what can destroy us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/and-now-the-question-what-do-we-do-with-the-longing-for-what-can/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Why are you not where you belong? / A black hat on a hook says nothing. / Ashes mirror ashes / In a mirroring window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/why-are-you-not-where-you-belong-a-black-hat-on-a-hook-says-nothing/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Bertrand Russell said, 'Electricity is not a thing like St. Paul's Cathedral; it is a way in which things behave.' And it's not 'they'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/bertrand-russell-said-electricity-is-not-a-thing-like-st-paul-s/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [To say you loved a person. / To say that person no longer exists. / A tragic flawed fate going on and on and on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/to-say-you-loved-a-person-to-say-that-person-no-longer-exists-a/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [The wheel begins its only if turning. / It had never stopped. / This is life's bargain that motion / Is hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/the-wheel-begins-its-only-if-turning-it-had-never-stopped-this-is/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [You are reduced / To the after-sorrow / That will last my lifetime. The hair-tearing / Grief of the mother / Whose child has been swept away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/you-are-reduced-to-the-after-sorrow-that-will-last-my-lifetime-the/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a furious fire / Called time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing-through-a-furious-fire/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [I say every dog looks like no other but that isn't true. Not entirely. Difference is slippery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/i-say-every-dog-looks-like-no-other-but-that-isn-t-true-not-entirely/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) [Explore all 13 Mary Jo Bang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“T. 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