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Attachment Quote by Virginia Woolf

“Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is scarcely perceptible; Shakespeare's plays, for instance, seem to hang there complete by them- selves. But when the web is pulled askew, hooked up at the edge…” quote by Virginia Woolf
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““Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is scarcely perceptible; Shakespeare's plays, for instance, seem to hang there complete by them- selves. But when the web is pulled askew, hooked up at the edge, torn in the middle, one remembers that these webs are not spun in mid-air by incorporeal creatures, but are the work of suffering human beings, and are attached to grossly material things, like health and money and the houses we live in.””

Virginia Woolf

About This Quote

Source Book: Mrs Dalloway, 1925

Fiction mirrors reality, subtly linking art to everyday material concerns.

In simple terms: Stories reflect life’s tangible aspects.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how narratives expose real struggles.

Themes

literature reality human experience

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • writing
  • teaching
  • personal growth
  • social critique

Key Concepts

symbolism materialism artistic reflection

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does fiction reveal hidden truths?
  • In what ways does material reality shape stories?
A Different Perspective

Fiction can oversimplify complex societal issues.

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