--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: memory, like a horrible malady, was…" description: "\"memory, like a horrible malady, was eating his soul away\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/oscar-wilde-16_eating_memory-like-a-horrible-malady-was-eating_2903943.jpg" --- # memory, like a horrible malady, was eating his soul away ![“memory, like a horrible malady, was eating his soul away” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/oscar-wilde-16_eating_memory-like-a-horrible-malady-was-eating_2903943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/oscar-wilde-16_eating_memory-like-a-horrible-malady-was-eating_2903943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/oscar-wilde-16_eating_memory-like-a-horrible-malady-was-eating_2903943.jpg) > “memory, like a horrible malady, was eating his soul away” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Memory can be a painful disease that consumes one's spirit. **In simple terms:** Memory can eat the soul. Key Takeaway Guard against harmful memories. Themes memory pain psychology Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief processing - therapy - journaling Key Concepts literature mental health Questions to Reflect On - What memories nourish you? - How do you heal from painful recollections? A Different Perspective Memory also preserves identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Eating Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-soul-2380745/) [Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible/) [Horrible Malady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible-malady-4145908/) [Malady Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malady-eating-4145909/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-like/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [“You do realize that you are a termite. You are eating through my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-amato/you-do-realize-that-you-are-a-termite-you-are-eating-through-my-soul/) [Mary Amato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-amato/) > [After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/after-the-first-glass-you-see-things-as-you-wish-they-were-after-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I can't stand people that do not take food seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-can-t-stand-people-that-do-not-take-food-seriously/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In our world, 80 to 90 percent of women's weight gain comes from overindulging in insulin-stimulating food. And it's not hardcore, straight-up, I-can-see you-in-the-face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-cruise/in-our-world-80-to-90-percent-of-women-s-weight-gain-comes-from/) [Jorge Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-cruise/) > [The memory of you is like a cobweb that lingers in my mind and stings through my organ of fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arcine-arciniegas/the-memory-of-you-is-like-a-cobweb-that-lingers-in-my-mind-and-stings/) [Arcine Arciniegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arcine-arciniegas/) > [“I have a memory like a baseball glove, so please, don’t toss me a basketball-sized rumination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-have-a-memory-like-a-baseball-glove-so-please-don-t-toss-me-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [But don’t forget that memory is like salt: the right amount brings out the flavour in food, too much ruins it. If you live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/but-don-t-forget-that-memory-is-like-salt-the-right-amount-brings-out/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“That's what memory is like: layers, one overlapping another, and compacting down the way old leaves slowly crumble and turn to a rich peaty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-green/that-s-what-memory-is-like-layers-one-overlapping-another-and/) [Julia Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-green/) > [I have a memory like an elephant. I remember every elephant I've ever met.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/i-have-a-memory-like-an-elephant-i-remember-every-elephant-i-ve-ever/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [I think memory is the most important asset of human beings. It's a kind of fuel; it burns and it warms you. 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This really came home to me once I started writing fiction, that memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/memory-is-like-fiction-or-else-it-s-fiction-that-s-like-memory-this/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Memory requires active engagement with the complexities of the past. It is not an unthinking or passive process, like breathing or (for most people)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-raskin/memory-requires-active-engagement-with-the-complexities-of-the-past/) [Jamie Raskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-raskin/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. 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For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Eating quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [I have my meals delivered... you know what I like? Chicken and rice... But the problem with being a defensive lineman is, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-douglas/i-have-my-meals-delivered-you-know-what-i-like-chicken-and-rice-but/) [Hugh Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-douglas/) > [I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-do-not-believe-in-eating-fish-hot-people-always-insist-on-hot-fish/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [One things guys have to remember is consistency... You can't make up for three years of eating poorly in just one workout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/one-things-guys-have-to-remember-is-consistency-you-can-t-make-up-for/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [My mom cares that I tweeted a picture of my breakfast. She's knows I'm eating and I'm safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/my-mom-cares-that-i-tweeted-a-picture-of-my-breakfast-she-s-knows-i-m/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [There is an idea that you can take the spiritual teachings of a religion outside of a religion and practice them; these ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-is-an-idea-that-you-can-take-the-spiritual-teachings-of-a/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/i-have-an-intense-dislike-of-doctrines-because-you-will-always-end-up/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [The worst thing for me is to not taste what I'm eating, to not know what I'm eating. It upsets me to no avail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-robuchon/the-worst-thing-for-me-is-to-not-taste-what-i-m-eating-to-not-know/) [Joel Robuchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-robuchon/) > [The heaviest I've ever been is 65 kilos. That was during my Leaving Cert when I was just studying and eating chocolate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-taylor/the-heaviest-i-ve-ever-been-is-65-kilos-that-was-during-my-leaving/) [Katie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-taylor/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. 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