Children Quote by Virginia Woolf
““He was a failure, he repeated. Well, look then, feel then. Flashing her needles, glancing round about her, out of the window, into the room, at James himself, she assured him, beyond a shadow of a doubt, by her laugh, her poise, her competence (as a nurse carrying a light across a dark room assures a fractious child), that it was real; the house was full; the garden blowing. If he put implicit faith in her, nothing should hurt him; however deep he buried himself or climed high, not for a second should he find himself without her. So boasting of her capacity to surround and protect, there was scarcely a shell of herself left for her to know herself by; all was so lavished and spent; and James, as he stood stiff between her knees, felt her rise in a rosy-flowered fruit tree laid with leaves and dancing boughs into which the beak of brass, the arid scimitar of his father, the egotistical man, plunged and smote, demanding sympathy.””
About This Quote
The passage portrays a complex, emotionally charged relationship where affection and dependence intertwine, leading to self‑loss and yearning for validation.
In simple terms: Intense love can blur identity and cause emotional exhaustion.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and maintain personal boundaries in relationships.
Themes
love
identity
dependency
psychology
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- romantic relationships
- caregiver dynamics
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
emotional intimacy
self‑sacrifice
psychological dependence
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you feel you lose yourself in caring for others?
- How can love be balanced with self‑preservation?
A Different Perspective
Intense devotion may erode self‑awareness and autonomy.
