--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Getting married had been all his idea…" description: "\"“Getting married had been all his idea, but he hadn't told her how very afraid of it he was. He seemed to need to force his way through it anyway, as h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/paula-mclain-3064_getting-married_getting-married-had-been-all-his-idea-bu_1975166.jpg" --- # Getting married had been all his idea, but he hadn't told… ![“Getting married had been all his idea, but he hadn't told her how very afraid of it he was. He seemed to need to force his way through it anyway, as he did with everything that scared him terribly. He was afraid of marriage and he was afraid of being alone, too.” quote by Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/paula-mclain-3064_getting-married_getting-married-had-been-all-his-idea-bu_1975166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/paula-mclain-3064_getting-married_getting-married-had-been-all-his-idea-bu_1975166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71d/paula-mclain-3064_getting-married_getting-married-had-been-all-his-idea-bu_1975166.jpg) > ““Getting married had been all his idea, but he hadn't told her how very afraid of it he was. He seemed to need to force his way through it anyway, as he did with everything that scared him terribly. He was afraid of marriage and he was afraid of being alone, too.”” [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He fears marriage and loneliness, yet forces himself into both, revealing deep insecurity. **In simple terms:** Fear drives reckless choices. Key Takeaway Face fears before acting. Themes fear marriage loneliness Mood introspective cautionary Type fictional psychological When to use this quote - relationships - decision making - personal growth Key Concepts psychology insecurity Questions to Reflect On - What would change if he acknowledged his fear? - How can one confront fear without forcing outcomes? A Different Perspective He may be harming himself by ignoring his fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Getting married](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-married/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [I would say that I wasn't so much afraid of marriage as afraid of divorce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-would-say-that-i-wasn-t-so-much-afraid-of-marriage-as-afraid-of/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [Because of what I've chosen to do for my work in the world, almost every time that there's something that I'm afraid to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/because-of-what-i-ve-chosen-to-do-for-my-work-in-the-world-almost/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [I am what I am and I am what I am afraid of. Oh what am I afraid of I need a fearless love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-etheridge/i-am-what-i-am-and-i-am-what-i-am-afraid-of-oh-what-am-i-afraid-of-i/) [Melissa Etheridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-etheridge/) > [Brought up to respect the conventions, love had to end in marriage. I'm afraid it did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/brought-up-to-respect-the-conventions-love-had-to-end-in-marriage-i-m/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [“No woman wants a husband! They're a terrible nuisance. Smelly and underfoot the whole time and absolutely no idea of what is proper. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-austin-king/no-woman-wants-a-husband-they-re-a-terrible-nuisance-smelly-and/) Graham Austin-King > [“It matters not at all that I do not want to marry, that I am afraid of the wedding, afraid of consummating the marriage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/it-matters-not-at-all-that-i-do-not-want-to-marry-that-i-am-afraid-of/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [I have trouble with long-term things. I tend to get obsessed with stuff and then move on. Roles, songs, video games. That's why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-have-trouble-with-long-term-things-i-tend-to-get-obsessed-with/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I was always slightly afraid of marriage because I didn't like the idea of being tied down. Even when I met Brian, when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-dobson/i-was-always-slightly-afraid-of-marriage-because-i-didn-t-like-the/) [Anita Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-dobson/) > [I was afraid of marriage. I had the impression married life would take up all my time. I saw myself drowning in visits and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/i-was-afraid-of-marriage-i-had-the-impression-married-life-would-take/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [It is best to live anyhow, as one may; do not be afraid of marriage with your mother! Many have lain with their mothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/it-is-best-to-live-anyhow-as-one-may-do-not-be-afraid-of-marriage/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“She is afraid of divorce, which will free her, as she was not enough afraid of marriage, which trapped her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt/she-is-afraid-of-divorce-which-will-free-her-as-she-was-not-enough/) [a.s. byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt/) > [I'm more afraid of marriage than death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/i-m-more-afraid-of-marriage-than-death/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [I have trouble with long-term things...roles, songs, video games. That's why I was afraid of marriage, because it was like a lifelong game of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-have-trouble-with-long-term-things-roles-songs-video-games-that-s/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [The truth is that I'm more afraid of marriage than of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/the-truth-is-that-i-m-more-afraid-of-marriage-than-of-death/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [I have become more and more afraid about marriage and parenting. I think it's because I am getting older. Of course, there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gong-yoo/i-have-become-more-and-more-afraid-about-marriage-and-parenting-i/) [Gong Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gong-yoo/) ## More by Paula McLain > [“There are some who said I should have fought harder or longer than I did for my marriage, but in the end fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/there-are-some-who-said-i-should-have-fought-harder-or-longer-than-i/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [I hope we'll get lucky enough to grow old together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/i-hope-we-ll-get-lucky-enough-to-grow-old-together/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“That's what terrible, sordid situations did to you, made you act crazily, against your own truths, against yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/that-s-what-terrible-sordid-situations-did-to-you-made-you-act/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“He didn't know how love managed to be a garden one moment and war the next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/he-didn-t-know-how-love-managed-to-be-a-garden-one-moment-and-war-the/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [Books could be an incredible adventure. I stayed under my blanket and barely moved, and no one would have guessed how my mind raced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/books-could-be-an-incredible-adventure-i-stayed-under-my-blanket-and/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [People belong to each other only as long as they both believe. He stopped believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/people-belong-to-each-other-only-as-long-as-they-both-believe-he/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [I miss good old-fashioned honorable people just trying to make something of life. Simply, without hurting anyone else. I know that makes me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/i-miss-good-old-fashioned-honorable-people-just-trying-to-make/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [... and yet he could also be very charming, in a bookish, infinitely apologetic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/and-yet-he-could-also-be-very-charming-in-a-bookish-infinitely/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“It was august. for years it was august … . there was heat like wet gauze and a high, white sky and music coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/it-was-august-for-years-it-was-august-there-was-heat-like-wet-gauze/) [Paula Mclain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“If you're ready to make the mad dash I'm game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/if-you-re-ready-to-make-the-mad-dash-i-m-game/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“We knew what we had and what it meant, and though so much had happened since for both of us, there was nothing like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/we-knew-what-we-had-and-what-it-meant-and-though-so-much-had-happened/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“There are things I didn't see before, like how nice it is to have someone around. Not the white knight whisking you away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/there-are-things-i-didn-t-see-before-like-how-nice-it-is-to-have/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“That's obviously, isn't it?' she said. 'A hawk is always a hawk, except'- and here she raised on heavy eyebrow and gave a mysterious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/that-s-obviously-isn-t-it-she-said-a-hawk-is-always-a-hawk-except-and/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“I hope we’ll get lucky enough to grow old together. You see them on the street, those couples who’ve been married so long you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/i-hope-we-ll-get-lucky-enough-to-grow-old-together-you-see-them-on/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“It was terrible to feel so empty, as if I were nothing. Why couldn't I be happy? And just what was happines anyway?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/it-was-terrible-to-feel-so-empty-as-if-i-were-nothing-why-couldn-t-i/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) [Explore all 139 Paula McLain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Getting married had been all his idea, but he hadn't told her how very afraid of it he was. 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