---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only for a week or two that a…"
description: "\"“It is only for a week or two that a broken chair or a door off its hinges is recognised for such. Soon, imperceptibly, it changes its character, and b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/sylvia-townsend-warner-7063_quote_it-is-only-for-a-week-or-two-that-a-brok_1906829.jpg"
---

#  It is only for a week or two that a broken chair or a door…

![“It is only for a week or two that a broken chair or a door off its hinges is recognised for such. Soon, imperceptibly, it changes its character, and becomes the chair which is always left in the corner, the door which does not shut. A pin, fastening a torn valance, rusts itself into the texture of…” quote by Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/sylvia-townsend-warner-7063_quote_it-is-only-for-a-week-or-two-that-a-brok_1906829.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/sylvia-townsend-warner-7063_quote_it-is-only-for-a-week-or-two-that-a-brok_1906829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f35/sylvia-townsend-warner-7063_quote_it-is-only-for-a-week-or-two-that-a-brok_1906829.jpg)

> ““It is only for a week or two that a broken chair or a door off its hinges is recognised for such. Soon, imperceptibly, it changes its character, and becomes the chair which is always left in the corner, the door which does not shut. A pin, fastening a torn valance, rusts itself into the texture of the stuff, is irremovable; the cracked dessert place and the stewpan with a hole in it, set aside until the man who rivets and solders should chance to come that way, become part of the dresser, are taken down and dusted and put back, and when the man arrives no one remembers them as things in need of repair. Five large keys rest inside the best soup-tureen, scrupulously preserved though no one knows what it was they once opened, and the pastry-cutter is there too, little missed, for the teacup without a handle has taken its place.””

[Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Objects become unnoticed as they age, blending into daily life, symbolizing how we ignore the familiar.

**In simple terms:** We forget the value of worn things.

Key Takeaway

Notice and appreciate everyday items.

Themes

memory obsolescence attachment

Mood

melancholic observational

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- home maintenance
- family heirlooms
- decluttering
- storytelling

Key Concepts

impermanence material culture nostalgia

Questions to Reflect On

- What everyday objects have you taken for granted?
- How can we honor the history of familiar things?

A Different Perspective

May romanticize neglect over necessary repair.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

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> [ \[On an anarchist acquaintance:\] Everything in appearance the most alarmist aunt could wish. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/on-an-anarchist-acquaintance-everything-in-appearance-the-most/)

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[Explore all 95 Sylvia Townsend Warner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/)

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[Autumn Doughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-doughton/)

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Browse all 3,104 Door quotes

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