--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bit by bit, at 124 and in the Clearing…" description: "\"“Bit by bit, at 124 and in the Clearing, along with others, she had claimed herself. Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/toni-morrison-271_freeing_bit-by-bit-at-124-and-in-the-clearing-al_758199.jpg" --- # Bit by bit, at 124 and in the Clearing, along with others… ![“Bit by bit, at 124 and in the Clearing, along with others, she had claimed herself. Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/toni-morrison-271_freeing_bit-by-bit-at-124-and-in-the-clearing-al_758199.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/toni-morrison-271_freeing_bit-by-bit-at-124-and-in-the-clearing-al_758199.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/toni-morrison-271_freeing_bit-by-bit-at-124-and-in-the-clearing-al_758199.jpg) > ““Bit by bit, at 124 and in the Clearing, along with others, she had claimed herself. Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the act of personal liberation with the subsequent challenge of taking responsibility for one's newly freed identity. **In simple terms:** Freedom is not enough; you must own yourself. Key Takeaway Embrace and own your liberated self. Themes freedom identity self‑ownership empowerment Mood reflective determined Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - recovering from trauma - starting a new career - building self‑esteem - overcoming addiction Key Concepts psychology post‑colonialism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - How do you claim ownership after gaining freedom? - What fears arise when you truly own yourself? A Different Perspective Ownership can be painful and may clash with lingering doubts or external expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [124 Clearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/124-clearing-5884957/) [Claimed Freeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claimed-freeing-5884956/) [Freed Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freed-self-1481509/) [Freeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freeing/) [Freeing Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freeing-yourself/) [Ownership Freed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership-freed-2512419/) ## Related quotes > [Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/freeing-yourself-was-one-thing-claiming-ownership-of-that-freed-self/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Forgiveness means freeing yourself from that situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-means-freeing-yourself-from-that-situation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Freeing yourself through forgiveness is like freeing yourself from chains of bondage or from prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/freeing-yourself-through-forgiveness-is-like-freeing-yourself-from/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [“What if "redemption" means not only freeing yourself from what you've done, but also from what's been done to you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darnell-lamont-walker/what-if-redemption-means-not-only-freeing-yourself-from-what-you-ve/) [Darnell Lamont Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darnell-lamont-walker/) > [It's not just about losing weight, it's about letting the person inside out! And freeing yourself from any limitations. Plus looking awesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-not-just-about-losing-weight-it-s-about-letting-the-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think there's a freedom in freeing yourself of the baggage of ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/i-think-there-s-a-freedom-in-freeing-yourself-of-the-baggage-of/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [Losing people who always want THEIR way isnt a loss for you. Its freeing yourself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/losing-people-who-always-want-their-way-isnt-a-loss-for-you-its/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [Maybe your happy ending doesn't include someone it could be you just freeing yourself from all the b.s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-your-happy-ending-doesn-t-include-someone-it-could-be-you-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgiveness is the act of freeing yourself from an obligation to think negative thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-the-act-of-freeing-yourself-from-an-obligation-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgiveness is not telling someone what they did is ok. It is freeing yourself by laying down your right to see them punished for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-not-telling-someone-what-they-did-is-ok-it-is-freeing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Letting go of toxic people in your life is a big step toward freeing yourself to have more quality time to love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-roberts/letting-go-of-toxic-people-in-your-life-is-a-big-step-toward-freeing/) [Dallas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-roberts/) > [When you let go, is when you start freeing yourself. It is totally up to you, to unleash the enchantment and grace of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-let-go-is-when-you-start-freeing-yourself-it-is-totally-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Simplicity= freeing yourself from trappings. Keep it simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/simplicity-freeing-yourself-from-trappings-keep-it-simple/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“″Don't be afraid of becoming your highest light and deepest love. Trust and follow. In freeing yourself, you will free the others.″”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-klippstein/don-t-be-afraid-of-becoming-your-highest-light-and-deepest-love-trust/) [Nils Klippstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-klippstein/) > [Life is about finding those who make you happy and freeing yourself from those who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-about-finding-those-who-make-you-happy-and-freeing-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Freeing quotes > [God does not redeem the personal man by death. He redeems himself by freeing himself from the personality of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-hartmann/god-does-not-redeem-the-personal-man-by-death-he-redeems-himself-by/) [Franz Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-hartmann/) > [Everyone hasn't got the power to free oneself and go away to another place or country... No one is capable of freeing oneself from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdellah-taia/everyone-hasn-t-got-the-power-to-free-oneself-and-go-away-to-another/) [Abdellah Taia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdellah-taia/) > [Forgiveness means freeing yourself from that situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-means-freeing-yourself-from-that-situation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Hanging on to stuff doesn’t keep us more connected to people, places, or past moments. Our memories do that, so we can let go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-meeker/hanging-on-to-stuff-doesn-t-keep-us-more-connected-to-people-places/) [Meg Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-meeker/) > [Part of what made 'The Bling Ring' such a fun, freeing experience was that we got to wear these really over-the-top clothes we'd never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taissa-farmiga/part-of-what-made-the-bling-ring-such-a-fun-freeing-experience-was/) [Taissa Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taissa-farmiga/) > [Those who have succeeded in attaching or detaching their minds at will have succeeded in Pratyahara, which means gathering towards, checking the outgoing powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/those-who-have-succeeded-in-attaching-or-detaching-their-minds-at/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is only the oppressed who, by freeing themselves, can free their oppressors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/it-is-only-the-oppressed-who-by-freeing-themselves-can-free-their/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [“″Don't be afraid of becoming your highest light and deepest love. Trust and follow. In freeing yourself, you will free the others.″”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-klippstein/don-t-be-afraid-of-becoming-your-highest-light-and-deepest-love-trust/) [Nils Klippstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-klippstein/) > [If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-i-could-save-the-union-without-freeing-any-slave-i-would-do-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Love is not about oneself, but about the other. It's not about keeping, but about freeing. Love is not love if not shared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/love-is-not-about-oneself-but-about-the-other-it-s-not-about-keeping/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“I’m here now. Letting them out. Freeing my words Building better walls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-ireland-stone/i-m-here-now-letting-them-out-freeing-my-words-building-better-walls/) [Tamara Ireland Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-ireland-stone/) > [Right gladly would He free them from their misery, but He knows only one way: He will teach them to be like himself, meek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/right-gladly-would-he-free-them-from-their-misery-but-he-knows-only/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Sometimes trust takes time. We all love to be in control, but when you start to give some of that up, it's freeing. Start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/sometimes-trust-takes-time-we-all-love-to-be-in-control-but-when-you/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [Accepting fear head-on is freeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-tassler/accepting-fear-head-on-is-freeing/) [Nina Tassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-tassler/) > [“so much is against reading for pleasure, writing for play, looking without agenda, wondering, just wondering. too much keeps us from beauty that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-chen/so-much-is-against-reading-for-pleasure-writing-for-play-looking/) [Chen Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-chen/) [Browse all 185 Freeing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freeing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Bit by bit, at 124 and in the Clearing, along with others, she had claimed herself. 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