--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In her misery she read a great deal, and…" description: "\"“In her misery she read a great deal, and discovered that she had lost something she had previously not really know she had: a soul. What’s that? It is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/robert-musil-2009_spirituality_in-her-misery-she-read-a-great-deal-and_1397094.jpg" --- # In her misery she read a great deal, and discovered that… ![“In her misery she read a great deal, and discovered that she had lost something she had previously not really know she had: a soul. What’s that? It is easy to define negatively: it is simply that which sneaks off at the mention of algebraic series.” quote by Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/robert-musil-2009_spirituality_in-her-misery-she-read-a-great-deal-and_1397094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/robert-musil-2009_spirituality_in-her-misery-she-read-a-great-deal-and_1397094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/robert-musil-2009_spirituality_in-her-misery-she-read-a-great-deal-and_1397094.jpg) > ““In her misery she read a great deal, and discovered that she had lost something she had previously not really know she had: a soul. What’s that? It is easy to define negatively: it is simply that which sneaks off at the mention of algebraic series.”” [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She discovers a loss of soul when overwhelmed by abstract, technical subjects, highlighting the conflict between intellect and inner self. **In simple terms:** Intellectual pursuits can erode one's sense of self. Key Takeaway Balance mind and soul. Themes identity intellect alienation self-discovery literature Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - creative writing - personal reflection - therapy Key Concepts existentialism psychology modernism Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your inner self while studying complex topics? - Can technical knowledge coexist with spiritual fulfillment? A Different Perspective Not all intellectual work is harmful; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [News has become entertainment. Once that happens, a whole series of horrific events start to happen, whether it's the lack of dissemination of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/news-has-become-entertainment-once-that-happens-a-whole-series-of/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [“What it boiled down to is the strength to be able to say, 'I don't want to think about it.' Thinking negatively is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-caesar/what-it-boiled-down-to-is-the-strength-to-be-able-to-say-i-don-t-want/) [Sid Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-caesar/) > [A person who only thinks negatively will never moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andygawan/a-person-who-only-thinks-negatively-will-never-moving-forward/) [Andygawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andygawan/) > [“Success has no other shortcuts apart from the ones that tell you; control thoughts, delete negativity, alternate actions and shift attitudes to become positive!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/success-has-no-other-shortcuts-apart-from-the-ones-that-tell-you/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I don't think negatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajpal-yadav/i-don-t-think-negatively/) [Rajpal Yadav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajpal-yadav/) > [“Antray (obstacles) are created by speaking completely negatively; and 'positive' does not create obstacles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/antray-obstacles-are-created-by-speaking-completely-negatively-and/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Do not allow your enemy to define you. Because if you allow yourself to be defined negatively, nothing positive you say about yourself will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-d-alessandro/do-not-allow-your-enemy-to-define-you-because-if-you-allow-yourself/) [David F. D'Alessandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-d-alessandro/) > [It is always better to look at a matter positively before ruling negatively on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-n-jamal/it-is-always-better-to-look-at-a-matter-positively-before-ruling/) [Nabil N Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabil-n-jamal/) > [I am bewildered at the length to which people will go to portray me so negatively,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-am-bewildered-at-the-length-to-which-people-will-go-to-portray-me/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Just because someone judges you for being "different", does that necessarily make it bad? What can they do, negatively judge you to death?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-someone-judges-you-for-being-different-does-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men have reacted very negatively to the power that is inherent in women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/men-have-reacted-very-negatively-to-the-power-that-is-inherent-in/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Technology breeds crime and we are constantly trying to develop technology to stay one step ahead of the person trying to use it negatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/technology-breeds-crime-and-we-are-constantly-trying-to-develop/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [People enjoy commenting negatively for the strangest things, but yet can not LIKE or say something NICE about any thing meaningful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/people-enjoy-commenting-negatively-for-the-strangest-things-but-yet/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I Love those People who judge me negatively especially the part where they found out they we're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/i-love-those-people-who-judge-me-negatively-especially-the-part-where/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [Oftentimes, when constituencies or sectors of opinion are distinct, when they are confronted with a situation where they're going to have to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/oftentimes-when-constituencies-or-sectors-of-opinion-are-distinct/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) ## More by Robert Musil > [“Everything we feel and do is somehow oriented "lifeward," and the least deviation away from this direction toward something beyond is difficult or alarming.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/everything-we-feel-and-do-is-somehow-oriented-lifeward-and-the-least/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“He was in that familiar state - not that the occasion mattered to seriously to him -- of incoherent ideas spreading outward without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/he-was-in-that-familiar-state-not-that-the-occasion-mattered-to/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [It is life that does the thinking all around us, forming with playful ease the connections our reason can only laboriously patch together piecemeal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/it-is-life-that-does-the-thinking-all-around-us-forming-with-playful/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“What is it you do, then? I'll tell you: You leave out whatever doesn't suit you. As the author himself has done before you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/what-is-it-you-do-then-i-ll-tell-you-you-leave-out-whatever-doesn-t/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [and while faith based on theological reasoning is today universally engaged in a bitter struggle with doubt and resistance from the prevailing brand of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/and-while-faith-based-on-theological-reasoning-is-today-universally/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [What is the use of good painting? We want a spell cast upon the optical part of our existence! We seldom really see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/what-is-the-use-of-good-painting-we-want-a-spell-cast-upon-the/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [That the will of the people can be established by voting for democrats is, of course, a delusion. Yet when considering a non-threatening system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/that-the-will-of-the-people-can-be-established-by-voting-for/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“Ein Mann, der die Wahrheit will, wird Gelehrter; ein Mann, der seine Subjektivität spielen lassen will, wird vielleicht Schriftsteller; was aber soll ein Mann…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/ein-mann-der-die-wahrheit-will-wird-gelehrter-ein-mann-der-seine/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“For a long time now a hint of aversion had lain on everything he did and experienced, a shadow of impotence and loneliness, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/for-a-long-time-now-a-hint-of-aversion-had-lain-on-everything-he-did/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“All the knowledge that has led our species from wearing animal skins to people flying, complete with proofs, would fill a handful of reference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/all-the-knowledge-that-has-led-our-species-from-wearing-animal-skins/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [I also believe that few people remain completely untouched by the thought that instead of the life they lead there might also be another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/i-also-believe-that-few-people-remain-completely-untouched-by-the/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“His appearance gives no clue to what his profession might be, and yet he doesn't look like a man without a profession either. Consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/his-appearance-gives-no-clue-to-what-his-profession-might-be-and-yet/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [Philosophers are people who do violence, but have no army at their disposal, and so subjugate the world by locking it into a system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/philosophers-are-people-who-do-violence-but-have-no-army-at-their/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“The drive of his own nature to keep developing prevents him from believing that anything is final and complete, yet everything he encounters behaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/the-drive-of-his-own-nature-to-keep-developing-prevents-him-from/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“And so the mind or spirit is the great opportunist, itself impossible to pin down, take hold of, anywhere; one is tempted to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/and-so-the-mind-or-spirit-is-the-great-opportunist-itself-impossible/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) [Explore all 139 Robert Musil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) ## More Negatively quotes > [News has become entertainment. Once that happens, a whole series of horrific events start to happen, whether it's the lack of dissemination of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/news-has-become-entertainment-once-that-happens-a-whole-series-of/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [I Love those People who judge me negatively especially the part where they found out they we're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/i-love-those-people-who-judge-me-negatively-especially-the-part-where/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [People enjoy commenting negatively for the strangest things, but yet can not LIKE or say something NICE about any thing meaningful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/people-enjoy-commenting-negatively-for-the-strangest-things-but-yet/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Technology breeds crime and we are constantly trying to develop technology to stay one step ahead of the person trying to use it negatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/technology-breeds-crime-and-we-are-constantly-trying-to-develop/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [Men have reacted very negatively to the power that is inherent in women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/men-have-reacted-very-negatively-to-the-power-that-is-inherent-in/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Just because someone judges you for being "different", does that necessarily make it bad? What can they do, negatively judge you to death?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-someone-judges-you-for-being-different-does-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am bewildered at the length to which people will go to portray me so negatively,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-am-bewildered-at-the-length-to-which-people-will-go-to-portray-me/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [It is always better to look at a matter positively before ruling negatively on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-n-jamal/it-is-always-better-to-look-at-a-matter-positively-before-ruling/) [Nabil N Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabil-n-jamal/) > [Do not allow your enemy to define you. Because if you allow yourself to be defined negatively, nothing positive you say about yourself will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-d-alessandro/do-not-allow-your-enemy-to-define-you-because-if-you-allow-yourself/) [David F. D'Alessandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-d-alessandro/) > [“Antray (obstacles) are created by speaking completely negatively; and 'positive' does not create obstacles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/antray-obstacles-are-created-by-speaking-completely-negatively-and/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [I don't think negatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajpal-yadav/i-don-t-think-negatively/) [Rajpal Yadav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajpal-yadav/) > [“Success has no other shortcuts apart from the ones that tell you; control thoughts, delete negativity, alternate actions and shift attitudes to become positive!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/success-has-no-other-shortcuts-apart-from-the-ones-that-tell-you/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A person who only thinks negatively will never moving forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andygawan/a-person-who-only-thinks-negatively-will-never-moving-forward/) [Andygawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andygawan/) > [“What it boiled down to is the strength to be able to say, 'I don't want to think about it.' Thinking negatively is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-caesar/what-it-boiled-down-to-is-the-strength-to-be-able-to-say-i-don-t-want/) [Sid Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-caesar/) > [Oftentimes, when constituencies or sectors of opinion are distinct, when they are confronted with a situation where they're going to have to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/oftentimes-when-constituencies-or-sectors-of-opinion-are-distinct/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) Browse all 48 Negatively quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In her misery she read a great deal, and discovered that she had lost something she had previously not really know she had: a soul. What’s that? 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