--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It can only be that places left behind…" description: "\"“It can only be that places left behind often become emotionally simplified - that they sound a single note of pain or pleasure, which means that they ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/siri-hustvedt-860_emotionally_it-can-only-be-that-places-left-behind-o_540689.jpg" --- # It can only be that places left behind often become… ![“It can only be that places left behind often become emotionally simplified - that they sound a single note of pain or pleasure, which means that they are never what they were.” quote by Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/siri-hustvedt-860_emotionally_it-can-only-be-that-places-left-behind-o_540689.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/siri-hustvedt-860_emotionally_it-can-only-be-that-places-left-behind-o_540689.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/siri-hustvedt-860_emotionally_it-can-only-be-that-places-left-behind-o_540689.jpg) > ““It can only be that places left behind often become emotionally simplified - that they sound a single note of pain or pleasure, which means that they are never what they were.”” [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Places left behind become emotionally simplified, losing their complexity and becoming a single note of pain or pleasure. **In simple terms:** Abandoned places become emotionally one‑dimensional. Key Takeaway Seek depth beyond simple emotions. Themes memory place emotion Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - urban decay - personal loss - artistic inspiration - mental health Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you preserve complexity in memory? - What emotions arise when revisiting old places? A Different Perspective Simplification can erase nuanced experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionally/) [Emotionally Simplified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionally-simplified-4522095/) [Left behind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-behind/) [Left Emotionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-emotionally-3484727/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Places Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/places-left-1243721/) [Simplified Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplified-sound-4522096/) ## Related quotes > [I'm trying to find myself, by trying to find my birth father... I know he's out there, but he seems not to give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylynn-thompson/i-m-trying-to-find-myself-by-trying-to-find-my-birth-father-i-know-he/) [Kaylynn Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylynn-thompson/) > [“That pain will turn you angry and bitter, making it difficult for anyone to love you. The people who care about you will grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-kozinn/that-pain-will-turn-you-angry-and-bitter-making-it-difficult-for/) [Nat Kozinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-kozinn/) > [“It is often said that there are very few places left on earth that have yet to be discovered. But those who say this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-miodownik/it-is-often-said-that-there-are-very-few-places-left-on-earth-that/) [Mark Miodownik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-miodownik/) > [I could do one show after another in China for the rest of my life and still die ignorant. There's a lot of places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-could-do-one-show-after-another-in-china-for-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [“There are not many places left in the United States where people can get off the computer, stop filing tax returns, and in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/there-are-not-many-places-left-in-the-united-states-where-people-can/) [James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke/) > [“There aren't many clean places left in this dirty world of ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bernstein/there-aren-t-many-clean-places-left-in-this-dirty-world-of-ours/) [Harry Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bernstein/) > [Be courageous. It's one of the only places left uncrowded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/be-courageous-it-s-one-of-the-only-places-left-uncrowded/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [I don't think there are too many places left that humans haven't pretty thoroughly explored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kolbert/i-don-t-think-there-are-too-many-places-left-that-humans-haven-t/) [Elizabeth Kolbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kolbert/) > [“Orphanages are the only places that ever left me feeling empty and full at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-simmons/orphanages-are-the-only-places-that-ever-left-me-feeling-empty-and/) [John M. Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-simmons/) > [Canada is one of the few places left where the small decencies are observed. 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I could train a rock to hold more affection for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/of-course-i-would-fall-for-captain-emotionally-constipated-i-could/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [There are ups and downs to the season and how you handle those things emotionally is huge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/there-are-ups-and-downs-to-the-season-and-how-you-handle-those-things/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) ## More by Siri Hustvedt > [I am married to a writer, and this - writing - is an odd enterprise. It's something we both support very strongly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-am-married-to-a-writer-and-this-writing-is-an-odd-enterprise-it-s/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [With almost no exceptions, art by men is much more expensive than art by women. Even great women artists, like Louise Bourgeois and Lee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/with-almost-no-exceptions-art-by-men-is-much-more-expensive-than-art/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [I love the little garden in the back of my family's brownstone in Brooklyn. 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They go hand in hand. To one degree or another, we all invent our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/the-faculty-of-memory-cannot-be-separated-from-the-imagination-they/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“Looking is part of love, but what you see when you look is anybody's guess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/looking-is-part-of-love-but-what-you-see-when-you-look-is-anybody-s/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Every sickness has an alien quality, a feeling of invasion and loss of control that is evident in the language we use about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/every-sickness-has-an-alien-quality-a-feeling-of-invasion-and-loss-of/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [I have a tendency to face my bad fantasies in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-have-a-tendency-to-face-my-bad-fantasies-in-my-books/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“The outside also becomes us. A human being is born an unfinished organism and as the person develops experience with others becomes a physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/the-outside-also-becomes-us-a-human-being-is-born-an-unfinished/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [I am an American, but a sense of otherness was part of my growing up. I spoke Norwegian before I spoke English. My mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-am-an-american-but-a-sense-of-otherness-was-part-of-my-growing-up-i/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [When I was an impoverished graduate student, I would sometimes spend $20 or $30 on a T-shirt or accessory I didn't need or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/when-i-was-an-impoverished-graduate-student-i-would-sometimes-spend/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) [Explore all 330 Siri Hustvedt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) ## More Emotionally quotes > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [There are ups and downs to the season and how you handle those things emotionally is huge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/there-are-ups-and-downs-to-the-season-and-how-you-handle-those-things/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [“Of course I would fall for Captain Emotionally Constipated. I could train a rock to hold more affection for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/of-course-i-would-fall-for-captain-emotionally-constipated-i-could/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [“Authors: The only people you thank for leaving you emotionally devastated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-the-stacks-bookstore/authors-the-only-people-you-thank-for-leaving-you-emotionally/) [Love The Stacks Bookstore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-the-stacks-bookstore/) > [If someone hates or loves something, then right on. I can't rob them of that. I'm not going to try and change their mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/if-someone-hates-or-loves-something-then-right-on-i-can-t-rob-them-of/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Just emotionally, as amazing as it is to win the World Cup, it's emotionally draining in many ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/just-emotionally-as-amazing-as-it-is-to-win-the-world-cup-it-s/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [Finding new resources to mine after 10 days of one emotionally demanding scene is challenging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/finding-new-resources-to-mine-after-10-days-of-one-emotionally/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [What people don't understand is that how you are as an artist depends on how you are emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-goulding/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-how-you-are-as-an-artist-depends/) [Ellie Goulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-goulding/) > [Picking your favourite look is like picking your favourite child! I get so emotionally attached to each one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zoe/picking-your-favourite-look-is-like-picking-your-favourite-child-i/) [Rachel Zoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zoe/) > [I was a shy kid, a late bloomer. At 22, I was probably 16 emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/i-was-a-shy-kid-a-late-bloomer-at-22-i-was-probably-16-emotionally/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [I think lighting is a reflection of what is at stake emotionally in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-think-lighting-is-a-reflection-of-what-is-at-stake-emotionally-in-a/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [I might be better able to help parents of dying children, but for quite a while I felt less able, too emotionally involved. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-everett-koop/i-might-be-better-able-to-help-parents-of-dying-children-but-for/) [C. Everett Koop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-everett-koop/) > [There's certainly harder things in the world and the country to do than being an actor, but it's a particularly emotionally humiliating thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-scott/there-s-certainly-harder-things-in-the-world-and-the-country-to-do/) [Adam Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-scott/) > [People are really emotionally affected by actors. And it's hard to know how to behave in a way that doesn't impose or withdraw. 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