Solitary Quote by Virginia Woolf
““But this man Brown - it was difficult to place him at once. He talked, spreading his fingers out with the volubility of a man who will in the end become a bore. And Eleanor wandered about, holding a cup, telling people about her shower-bath. He wished they would stick to he point. Talk interested him. Serious talk on abstract subjects. 'Was solitude good; was society bad?' That was interesting; but they hopped from thing to thing. When the large man said, 'Solitary confinement is the greatest torture we inflict,' the meagre old woman with the wispy hair at once piped up, laying her hand on her heart, 'It ought to be abolished!' She visited prisons, it seemed.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, 1925
Characters display restless conversation, shifting from trivial to profound, highlighting human desire for meaningful discourse and the tension between solitude and society.
In simple terms: People crave deep talk but often jump topics.
Key Takeaway
Seek focused, purposeful dialogue.
Themes
conversation
solitude
society
meaning
communication
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- social gatherings
- literary analysis
- personal reflection
- group discussions
Key Concepts
existentialism
social dynamics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What topics truly engage you?
- How can you balance light and deep conversation?
A Different Perspective
The passage may overemphasize intellectual depth at the expense of everyday practicality.
![“[Solitary confinement] is terrible. That is terrible. You're in a grave. You can't do anything. Everything's brought to you and you're in a room all day, except to come out of the showers. So when I would come out, I would entertain myself by singing, doing little mock concerts. And then when I…” quote by Megan Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/115/megan-sweeney-180683_incarcerated-women_solitary-confinement-is-terrible-that-is_740216.jpg)
