--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better this way, what remained of his…" description: "\"“Better this way, what remained of his battered sensibilities told him. He was no good for her, anyway. She didn’t understand him. She didn’t understan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/833/v-s-carnes-10874_heartache_better-this-way-what-remained-of-his-bat_2080696.jpg" --- # Better this way, what remained of his battered… ![“Better this way, what remained of his battered sensibilities told him. He was no good for her, anyway. She didn’t understand him. She didn’t understand that he was cursed. And, selfish as he was, he’d rather she hate him than he hate himself any more than he was already going to. Any more than he…” quote by V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/833/v-s-carnes-10874_heartache_better-this-way-what-remained-of-his-bat_2080696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/833/v-s-carnes-10874_heartache_better-this-way-what-remained-of-his-bat_2080696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/833/v-s-carnes-10874_heartache_better-this-way-what-remained-of-his-bat_2080696.jpg) > ““Better this way, what remained of his battered sensibilities told him. He was no good for her, anyway. She didn’t understand him. She didn’t understand that he was cursed. And, selfish as he was, he’d rather she hate him than he hate himself any more than he was already going to. Any more than he already did.”” [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes he is unworthy, preferring others to despise him rather than confronting his own self‑hate. **In simple terms:** He chooses being hated over self‑hate. Key Takeaway Accept self‑worth. Themes self‑esteem relationship self‑sacrifice Mood melancholic reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal reflection - relationship counseling Key Concepts psychology literature emotional health Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes prefer external rejection? - How can self‑compassion replace self‑punishment? A Different Perspective Self‑destructive choices may harm both parties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heartache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartache/) [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [Funny how all things people don’t understand seem to be ‘cursed’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/funny-how-all-things-people-don-t-understand-seem-to-be-cursed/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [“In my recollection, there have been many places and people I have been both blessed and cursed to know. Much joy and heartache can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynter-wilkins/in-my-recollection-there-have-been-many-places-and-people-i-have-been/) [Wynter Wilkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynter-wilkins/) > [“Shifting uneasily, Caine cleared his throat, left to wonder why her eyes would make him so unbelievably uncomfortable now after all that had already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/shifting-uneasily-caine-cleared-his-throat-left-to-wonder-why-her/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“It was a question of insurmountable proportions. A single word that held every fear he had ever had-and every wish he had ever made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/it-was-a-question-of-insurmountable-proportions-a-single-word-that/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [I'm a classic example of what can happen if you follow your inner voice. I was cursed with interests and some talent in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/i-m-a-classic-example-of-what-can-happen-if-you-follow-your-inner/) [Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/) > [Sometimes I feel I'm being animated, but it comes off differently. Unfortunately, I was cursed with these sleepy eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-cenac/sometimes-i-feel-i-m-being-animated-but-it-comes-off-differently/) [Wyatt Cenac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyatt-cenac/) > [A Poem from Edna St. Vincent Millay: Grown-up Was it for this I uttered prayers, And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/a-poem-from-edna-st-vincent-millay-grown-up-was-it-for-this-i-uttered/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [ I cursed \[Larry Merchant\] out once, and I told him that he was a phony. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-cursed-larry-merchant-out-once-and-i-told-him-that-he-was-a-phony/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [“My heart almost vaulted out of my chest. I was snuggled against Ryan’s shoulder. We were burrowed under the cloak and sleeping bag, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-dogra/my-heart-almost-vaulted-out-of-my-chest-i-was-snuggled-against-ryan-s/) [Sam Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-dogra/) > [Too blessed to be stressed. Too blessed to be cursed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/too-blessed-to-be-stressed-too-blessed-to-be-cursed/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [I have always been cursed or blessed with this inability to hide behind anything and to just say exactly what I am experiencing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-kowalczyk/i-have-always-been-cursed-or-blessed-with-this-inability-to-hide/) [Ed Kowalczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-kowalczyk/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [Anyone who makes the life of Jewish people difficult or grievous, as did the Pharaoh, as did Hitler, will be cursed by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/anyone-who-makes-the-life-of-jewish-people-difficult-or-grievous-as/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“He held his hands tightly together and cursed his daughter for bringing the terrible world, with its humiliation and longing, back to his door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/he-held-his-hands-tightly-together-and-cursed-his-daughter-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [You love what you do, you are cursed with it, and then you get known for being cursed with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armand-assante/you-love-what-you-do-you-are-cursed-with-it-and-then-you-get-known/) [Armand Assante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armand-assante/) ## More by V.S. Carnes > [“Just say, dakhilak.” Without hesitation, “Dakhilak.” He nodded. Her accent was getting no better. “Now, you can never take it back.” “Well, what does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/just-say-dakhilak-without-hesitation-dakhilak-he-nodded-her-accent/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“She was a little thing, too, inciting that basic compulsion in him as a man to protect her in so hectic a place as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/she-was-a-little-thing-too-inciting-that-basic-compulsion-in-him-as-a/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“What she knew was sand and wind and innumerable stars. The rumble in a camel’s throat as it swayed over shifting dunes, its trappings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/what-she-knew-was-sand-and-wind-and-innumerable-stars-the-rumble-in-a/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“He squinted at her. He recalled the tears in her eyes that had not fallen into her teacup. No, it wasn’t a revelation. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/he-squinted-at-her-he-recalled-the-tears-in-her-eyes-that-had-not/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“He felt, rather than saw, her chin lift toward him. But instead of pulling her hand from his grip and turning away, she tightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/he-felt-rather-than-saw-her-chin-lift-toward-him-but-instead-of/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“Somehow, I did not finger you for a treasure-hunter.” “Oh, but I am,” without shame. “Her name is Titianni Aziz.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/somehow-i-did-not-finger-you-for-a-treasure-hunter-oh-but-i-am/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“La mu’axsa, but I think I’ll just keep sliding down this greased pole to hell?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/la-mu-axsa-but-i-think-i-ll-just-keep-sliding-down-this-greased-pole/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“There will always be another war, Gillia.” He allowed his cynicism to seep through. “Do you know why? Because there will always be bigots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/there-will-always-be-another-war-gillia-he-allowed-his-cynicism-to/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“It came as naturally to him as breathing or lying, or worse. His mama had only taught her son to be cautious at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/it-came-as-naturally-to-him-as-breathing-or-lying-or-worse-his-mama/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“She wondered how a man could look into a woman’s eyes and lie so completely, so convincingly. She wondered how he could have looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/she-wondered-how-a-man-could-look-into-a-woman-s-eyes-and-lie-so/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“When silence greeted her question, she looked at Caine—for that was how he saw himself in that moment and in all the moments after:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/when-silence-greeted-her-question-she-looked-at-caine-for-that-was/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“And what was to become of what he had taken from her? He had dashed her heart to the ground and danced on it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/and-what-was-to-become-of-what-he-had-taken-from-her-he-had-dashed/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“Wait for me.” If his voice was just a bit hoarse, she didn’t seem to take note of it. She looked at him as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/wait-for-me-if-his-voice-was-just-a-bit-hoarse-she-didn-t-seem-to/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“Oh, Lord, why was she doomed to adore a man steeped in blindness and utter stupidity?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/oh-lord-why-was-she-doomed-to-adore-a-man-steeped-in-blindness-and/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“I will not marry Ashton. However bound by honor to do so, I will not marry Ashton. I will not marry, ever!” “Why not?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/i-will-not-marry-ashton-however-bound-by-honor-to-do-so-i-will-not/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) [Explore all 63 V.S. Carnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) ## More Cursed quotes > [You love what you do, you are cursed with it, and then you get known for being cursed with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armand-assante/you-love-what-you-do-you-are-cursed-with-it-and-then-you-get-known/) [Armand Assante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armand-assante/) > [“He held his hands tightly together and cursed his daughter for bringing the terrible world, with its humiliation and longing, back to his door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/he-held-his-hands-tightly-together-and-cursed-his-daughter-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [Anyone who makes the life of Jewish people difficult or grievous, as did the Pharaoh, as did Hitler, will be cursed by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/anyone-who-makes-the-life-of-jewish-people-difficult-or-grievous-as/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [I have always been cursed or blessed with this inability to hide behind anything and to just say exactly what I am experiencing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-kowalczyk/i-have-always-been-cursed-or-blessed-with-this-inability-to-hide/) [Ed Kowalczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-kowalczyk/) > [Too blessed to be stressed. Too blessed to be cursed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/too-blessed-to-be-stressed-too-blessed-to-be-cursed/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [“My heart almost vaulted out of my chest. I was snuggled against Ryan’s shoulder. We were burrowed under the cloak and sleeping bag, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-dogra/my-heart-almost-vaulted-out-of-my-chest-i-was-snuggled-against-ryan-s/) [Sam Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-dogra/) > [ I cursed \[Larry Merchant\] out once, and I told him that he was a phony. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-cursed-larry-merchant-out-once-and-i-told-him-that-he-was-a-phony/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [A Poem from Edna St. Vincent Millay: Grown-up Was it for this I uttered prayers, And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/a-poem-from-edna-st-vincent-millay-grown-up-was-it-for-this-i-uttered/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Funny how all things people don’t understand seem to be ‘cursed’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nnedi-okorafor/funny-how-all-things-people-don-t-understand-seem-to-be-cursed/) [Nnedi Okorafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nnedi-okorafor/) > [Sometimes I feel I'm being animated, but it comes off differently. Unfortunately, I was cursed with these sleepy eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-cenac/sometimes-i-feel-i-m-being-animated-but-it-comes-off-differently/) [Wyatt Cenac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyatt-cenac/) > [I'm a classic example of what can happen if you follow your inner voice. I was cursed with interests and some talent in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/i-m-a-classic-example-of-what-can-happen-if-you-follow-your-inner/) [Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/) > [What cursed spirit of falsehood moveth priests to close themselves within stone walls for all their life, since Christ commanded all his apostles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/what-cursed-spirit-of-falsehood-moveth-priests-to-close-themselves/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Words are as they are taken, and things are as they are used. There are even cursed blessings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/words-are-as-they-are-taken-and-things-are-as-they-are-used-there-are/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) > [Blessed be those happy ages that were strangers to the dreadful fury of these devilish instruments of artillery, whose inventor I am satisfied is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/blessed-be-those-happy-ages-that-were-strangers-to-the-dreadful-fury/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) Browse all 443 Cursed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Better this way, what remained of his battered sensibilities told him. He was no good for her, anyway. She didn’t understand him. She didn’t understand that he was cursed. And, selfish as he was, he’d rather she hate him than he hate himself any more than he was already going to. 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