Broken glass Quote by Richard Flanagan
““... and she would know that love is not goodness, and nor is it happiness… For Amy, love was the universe touching, exploding within one human being, and that person exploding into the universe. It was annihilation, the destroyer of worlds. And as she lay in bed feeling Keith silently sobbing behind her back, she understood that love does not end until all its power is exorcised in misery and cruelty and obliteration as much as in goodness and joy. And every night as she lay there, she could feel rolling in her stomach shards of broken glass - cutting, cutting, cutting.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Narrow Road to the Deep North, 2014
Love is portrayed as a force that both creates and destroys, intertwining ecstasy with suffering and existential dissolution.
In simple terms: Love can be both beautiful and painful.
Key Takeaway
Accept love’s complexity, not just its joy.
Themes
love
destruction
existentialism
suffering
passion
Mood
melancholic
intense
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grief
- relationship crisis
- artistic creation
- personal loss
Key Concepts
nihilism
transcendence
dualism
Questions to Reflect On
- Can love exist without pain?
- How does suffering shape love?
A Different Perspective
Love’s intensity can overwhelm and lead to self‑destruction.
