Adaptation Quote by Virginia Woolf
““It seems comfortable to sink down on a sofa in a corner, to look, to listen. Then it happens that two figures standing with their backs against the window appear against the branches of a spreading tree. With a shock of emotion one feels 'There are figures without features robed in beauty'. In the pause that follows while the ripples spread, the girl to whom one should be talking says to herself, 'He is old'. But she is wrong. It is not age; it is that a drop has fallen; another drop. Time has given the arrangement another shake. Out we creep from the arch of the currant leaves, out into a wider world. The true order of things – this is our perpetual illusion – is now apparent. Thus in a moment, in a drawing-room, our life adjusts itself to the majestic march of day across the sky.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway, 1925
The passage reflects on sudden, profound perception of life's fleeting nature and the illusion of permanence, triggered by a simple moment of observation.
In simple terms: A brief moment reveals life's fleeting illusion.
Key Takeaway
Embrace awareness of impermanence.
Themes
perception
impermanence
illusion
time
beauty
Mood
reflective
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- quiet contemplation
- artistic inspiration
- personal reflection
- mindful observation
Key Concepts
existentialism
stream of consciousness
phenomenology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does a fleeting observation change your view of daily life?
- What does “perpetual illusion” mean to you?
A Different Perspective
The insight may be too abstract for practical action without further guidance.
