Forgiving Quote by Sylvia Townsend Warner
““The amusement she had drawn from their disapproval was a slavish remnant, a derisive dance on the north bank of the Ohio. There was no question of forgiving them. She had not, in any case, a forgiving nature; and the injury they had done her was not done by them. If she were to start forgiving she must needs forgive Society, the Law, the Church, the History of Europe, the Old Testament, great-great-aunt Salome and her prayer-book, the Bank of England, Prostitution, the Architect of Apsley Terrace, and half a dozen other useful props of civilization. All she could do was to go on forgetting them. But now she was able to forget them without flouting them by her forgetfulness.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Lolly Willowes, 1926
She feels compelled to forget societal wrongs without forgiving, using selective amnesia as a coping tool.
In simple terms: She forgets but never forgives.
Key Takeaway
Practice forgiveness to heal, not just forget.
Themes
forgiveness
memory
societal critique
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- dealing with trauma
- social activism
- personal growth
Key Concepts
psychological coping
historical injustice
personal agency
Questions to Reflect On
- Can forgetting replace forgiveness?
- What are the costs of holding grudges?
A Different Perspective
Forgetting may perpetuate resentment.
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