--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In England, life is a long process of…" description: "\"In England, life is a long process of composing oneself.\" — Shirley Hazzard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg" --- # In England, life is a long process of composing oneself. ![“In England, life is a long process of composing oneself.” quote by Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg) > “In England, life is a long process of composing oneself.” [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life in England is portrayed as a gradual, deliberate process of self‑formation. **In simple terms:** English life is a slow self‑building process. Key Takeaway Embrace gradual self‑development. Themes identity culture slow growth self‑reflection Mood contemplative introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - cultural adaptation - long‑term projects Key Concepts existentialism cultural nuance personal evolution patience Questions to Reflect On - What small steps nurture your identity? - How does culture shape your growth? A Different Perspective Fast changes can be disruptive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Composing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composing/) [Composing Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composing-oneself-535249/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [England Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england-life-535248/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-process-535250/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [There is nothing greater than the joy of composing something oneself and then listening to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-schumann/there-is-nothing-greater-than-the-joy-of-composing-something-oneself/) [Clara Schumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-schumann/) > [In England, your life is your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/in-england-your-life-is-your-life/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [I've been told by people in England my whole life to 'go home,' even though I was born here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andi-oliver/i-ve-been-told-by-people-in-england-my-whole-life-to-go-home-even/) [Andi Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andi-oliver/) > [To be a working actor in England is a life. I think it's harder in this country. Either you are a superstar or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-eaton/to-be-a-working-actor-in-england-is-a-life-i-think-it-s-harder-in/) [Rebecca Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-eaton/) > [I'm not getting frustrated... we all knew from the start that this would be a long process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-spring/i-m-not-getting-frustrated-we-all-knew-from-the-start-that-this-would/) [Dick Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-spring/) > [I feel like I've got a novel in me somewhere, but that's something... I was just talking to a buddy of mine about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-feel-like-i-ve-got-a-novel-in-me-somewhere-but-that-s-something-i/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Films are a long process and the script is the first part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-kay-menon/films-are-a-long-process-and-the-script-is-the-first-part/) [Kay Kay Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-kay-menon/) > [I want to keep on progressing. I definitely think acting is a long process to be one of the greats like Morgan Freeman or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-gamble/i-want-to-keep-on-progressing-i-definitely-think-acting-is-a-long/) [Nathan Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-gamble/) > [“though a concentrated mind could pierce a stone, it was a long process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-cameron/though-a-concentrated-mind-could-pierce-a-stone-it-was-a-long-process/) [Marc Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-cameron/) > [Every song is a long process. First I have to write a story for it, and then to make it into a song, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonita-alizadeh/every-song-is-a-long-process-first-i-have-to-write-a-story-for-it-and/) [Sonita Alizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonita-alizadeh/) > [Casting is a long process for me. I take a lot of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/casting-is-a-long-process-for-me-i-take-a-lot-of-time/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Making an album is a long process, but it's a fun process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-eldredge/making-an-album-is-a-long-process-but-it-s-a-fun-process/) [Brett Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-eldredge/) > [Marriage is a very long process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/marriage-is-a-very-long-process/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [Flirting is the first step in a long process of finding the right man or woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/flirting-is-the-first-step-in-a-long-process-of-finding-the-right-man/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [Directing is a very long process, and I have to be in love with it if I want to give up two years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-harris/directing-is-a-very-long-process-and-i-have-to-be-in-love-with-it-if/) [Danielle Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-harris/) ## More by Shirley Hazzard > [It's nervous work. The state you need to write in is the state that others are paying large sums of money to get rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/it-s-nervous-work-the-state-you-need-to-write-in-is-the-state-that/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [I wasn't convinced a shop girl would know the word 'Oedipal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/i-wasn-t-convinced-a-shop-girl-would-know-the-word-oedipal/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [Great literature is like moral leadership; everyone deplores the lack of it, but there is a tendency to prefer it from the safely dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/great-literature-is-like-moral-leadership-everyone-deplores-the-lack/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [When people say of their tragedies, 'I don't often think of it now,' what they mean is it has entered permanently into their thoughts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/when-people-say-of-their-tragedies-i-don-t-often-think-of-it-now-what/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“But that's a way to go on loving--a place, or a person. To miss it. In fact, to go away, to put yourself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/but-that-s-a-way-to-go-on-loving-a-place-or-a-person-to-miss-it-in/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“I see that you are highly defensive." . . . Caro said, "I withhold my analysis of your own attitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/i-see-that-you-are-highly-defensive-caro-said-i-withhold-my-analysis/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“... although the sufferings of children are the worst, being inextinguishable--children themselves seldom have a proper sense of their own tragedy, discounting and keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/although-the-sufferings-of-children-are-the-worst-being/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [ “I said, "Some people do know more than others. That contributes to the impression that someone, somewhere,knows the whole thing." \[p. 38\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/i-said-some-people-do-know-more-than-others-that-contributes-to-the/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“Dark had meant Dora, had meant words and events sordid with self. Struggling to the light from Dora's darkness, Caro had acquired conscience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/dark-had-meant-dora-had-meant-words-and-events-sordid-with-self/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [Marriage is like democracy - it doesn't really work, but it's all we've been able to come up with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/marriage-is-like-democracy-it-doesn-t-really-work-but-it-s-all-we-ve/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“Sometimes, as now, her heart twisted and broke under his determination to wound her. At others, she was almost convinced that she felt nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/sometimes-as-now-her-heart-twisted-and-broke-under-his-determination/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“Chief Coordinator of DALTO – the Department of Aid to the Less technically Oriented, working to induce backwards nations to come forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/chief-coordinator-of-dalto-the-department-of-aid-to-the-less/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [“Occasion revived an illusion of discovery, as if one woke in a strange room to wonder afresh not only where but who one was;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/occasion-revived-an-illusion-of-discovery-as-if-one-woke-in-a-strange/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [When you realize someone is trying to hurt you, it hurts less." "Unless you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/when-you-realize-someone-is-trying-to-hurt-you-it-hurts-less-unless/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [Since the moment of the United Nations' inception, untold energies have been expended by governments not only toward the exclusion of persons of principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/since-the-moment-of-the-united-nations-inception-untold-energies-have/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) [Explore all 75 Shirley Hazzard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) ## More Composing quotes > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [As human beings, we are the only organisms that create for the sheer stupid pleasure of doing so. Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) [Barbara Kolb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kolb/) > [I'm the only actor who has done everything, right from anchoring shows to composing and singing songs to theatre to movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/i-m-the-only-actor-who-has-done-everything-right-from-anchoring-shows/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [Even though, theoretically, being a composer and being a songwriter are the same thing, in my brain, they are completely different. When I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bacon/even-though-theoretically-being-a-composer-and-being-a-songwriter-are/) [Michael Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bacon/) > [I was really into the music of Cream after I finished composing the music for 'BTTB.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/i-was-really-into-the-music-of-cream-after-i-finished-composing-the/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [I don't meditate before I play or compose, but I see playing and composing as meditative acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-swallow/i-don-t-meditate-before-i-play-or-compose-but-i-see-playing-and/) [Steve Swallow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-swallow/) > [Every day I lugged my backpack through the halls, waiting for the final bell. Then I'd race home and hole up in my room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-groban/every-day-i-lugged-my-backpack-through-the-halls-waiting-for-the/) [Josh Groban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-groban/) > [I'd always loved poetry and I'd always loved writing music and composing music, but I hadn't thought of putting the two together until around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/i-d-always-loved-poetry-and-i-d-always-loved-writing-music-and/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [It is hard work composing a song for a film and showing it to makers: 50% of the tune remains the same, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/it-is-hard-work-composing-a-song-for-a-film-and-showing-it-to-makers/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [Every orchestra I know, every opera house I know, is desperately looking around trying to find new talent, new composing talent, supporting young composers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/every-orchestra-i-know-every-opera-house-i-know-is-desperately/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [The material of music is sound and silence. Integrating these is composing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-material-of-music-is-sound-and-silence-integrating-these-is/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [“To be in the middle of composing a book is almost always to feel oneself in a state of confusion, doubt and mental imprisonment…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-epstein/to-be-in-the-middle-of-composing-a-book-is-almost-always-to-feel/) [Joseph Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-epstein/) > [For musical compositions to reach a high level and to derive from spontaneity, of course, one has to do the necessary steps to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/for-musical-compositions-to-reach-a-high-level-and-to-derive-from/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) > [The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive, not only because it can economically and scientifically rewarding, but also because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-process-of-preparing-programs-for-a-digital-computer-is/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) [Browse all 334 Composing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In England, life is a long process of composing oneself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shirley Hazzard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-composing-oneself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Composing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-composing-oneself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/shirley-hazzard-9123_composing_in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-com_1637117.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In England, life is a long process of composing oneself.” — Shirley Hazzard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shirley Hazzard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In England, life is a long...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-composing-oneself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/in-england-life-is-a-long-process-of-composing-oneself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```