Cold outside Quote by Sarah Addison Allen
““Josey?” She heard her mother’s voice in the hall, then the thud of her cane as she came closer. “Please don’t tell her I’m here,” the woman in the closet said, with a strange sort of desperation. Despite the cold outside, she was wearing a cropped white shirt and tight dark blue jeans that sat low, revealing a tattoo of a broken heart on her hip. Her hair was bleached white-blond with about an inch of silver-sprinkled dark roots showing. Her mascara had run and there were black streaks on her cheeks. She looked drip-dried, like she’d been walking in the rain, though there hadn’t...””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Sweetness of Forgetting by Sarah Addison Allen, 2015
A desperate woman hides in a closet, pleading not to be discovered, while her appearance and surroundings reveal a troubled, weathered life.
In simple terms: A hidden plea amid personal turmoil.
Key Takeaway
Offer empathy, not judgment.
Themes
desperation
identity
secrecy
Mood
tense
melancholic
Type
dramatic
emotional
When to use this quote
- mental health support
- conflict resolution
- personal safety
Key Concepts
psychological trauma
social isolation
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives someone to hide?
- How does appearance affect perception?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize dangerous situations.
