--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you remember the lake?' she said, in…" description: "\"“Do you remember the lake?' she said, in an abrupt voice, under the pressure of an emotion which caught her heart, made the muscles of her throat stiff..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/virginia-woolf-49_lake_do-you-remember-the-lake-she-said-in-an_3034727.jpg" --- # Do you remember the lake?' she said, in an abrupt voice… ![“Do you remember the lake?' she said, in an abrupt voice, under the pressure of an emotion which caught her heart, made the muscles of her throat stiff, and contracted her lips in a spasm as she said 'lake.' For she was a child, throwing bread to the ducks, between her parents, and at the same time…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/virginia-woolf-49_lake_do-you-remember-the-lake-she-said-in-an_3034727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/virginia-woolf-49_lake_do-you-remember-the-lake-she-said-in-an_3034727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e3/virginia-woolf-49_lake_do-you-remember-the-lake-she-said-in-an_3034727.jpg) > ““Do you remember the lake?' she said, in an abrupt voice, under the pressure of an emotion which caught her heart, made the muscles of her throat stiff, and contracted her lips in a spasm as she said 'lake.' For she was a child, throwing bread to the ducks, between her parents, and at the same time a grown woman coming to her parents who stood by the lake, holding her life in her arms which, as she neared them grew larger and larger in her arms until it became a whole life, a complete life, which she put down by them and said, 'This is what I have made of it! This!' And what had she made of it? What indeed? sitting there sewing this morning with Peter.”” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s memory of a lake intertwines with adult reflections on life’s creation and meaning. **In simple terms:** Memory blends childhood and adult perspectives on life. Key Takeaway Reflect on how past shapes present identity. Themes memory identity creation Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal memoir - literary analysis - therapy Key Concepts nostalgia existentialism family Questions to Reflect On - What does the lake symbolize for you? - How does memory influence your sense of self? A Different Perspective Interpretation can be subjective and may miss authorial intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grown Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grown-woman/) [Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [For she was a child, throwing bread to the ducks, between her parents who stood by the lake, holding her life in her arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-she-was-a-child-throwing-bread-to-the-ducks-between-her-parents/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Through all his years of roving, even on nights like this, he had remained blind to the beauty of the sea, and now his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-outerson/through-all-his-years-of-roving-even-on-nights-like-this-he-had/) William Outerson > [“They thought, or Peter at any rate thought, that she enjoyed imposing herself; liked to have famous people about her; great names; was simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/they-thought-or-peter-at-any-rate-thought-that-she-enjoyed-imposing/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She suspects the day of greyness this is not commonplace but frequent gets up holds the ordinary day in her heart for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-griffin/she-suspects-the-day-of-greyness-this-is-not-commonplace-but-frequent/) Caroline Griffin > [Whatever you are holding onto in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priscilla-shirer/whatever-you-are-holding-onto-in-this-life-hold-it-loosely-so-it-won/) [Priscilla Shirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priscilla-shirer/) > [Letting go something, that is never meant to be there anymore is a love for life…but holding on to it is, the life we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santanu-mishra/letting-go-something-that-is-never-meant-to-be-there-anymore-is-a/) [Santanu Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santanu-mishra/) > [“I am nowhere near wanting to kill myself. 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I'm holding onto my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/my-feet-are-definitely-more-grounded-than-before-and-i-know-that-i-m/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [“The lake of my mind, unbroken by oars, heaves placidly and soon sinks into an oily somnolence.’ That will be useful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-lake-of-my-mind-unbroken-by-oars-heaves-placidly-and-soon-sinks/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? 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I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Lake quotes > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [“Holy gods. He'd frozen the whole damn lake. He was THAT powerful?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/holy-gods-he-d-frozen-the-whole-damn-lake-he-was-that-powerful/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [You will find a spring by the dwelling of the dead, to the left. Next to it stands a white cypress. Do not approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustaw-herling-grudzinski/you-will-find-a-spring-by-the-dwelling-of-the-dead-to-the-left-next/) [Gustaw Herling-Grudzinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustaw-herling-grudzinski/) > [Near the lake where drooped the willow, Long time ago!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pope-morris/near-the-lake-where-drooped-the-willow-long-time-ago/) [George Pope Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pope-morris/) > [If you looked down to the bottom of my soul, you would understand fully the source of my longing and – pity me. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-looked-down-to-the-bottom-of-my-soul-you-would-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They are the largest collection of freshwater lakes in the world. They border eight U.S. states and the Canadian Providence of Ontario and at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-magsamen/they-are-the-largest-collection-of-freshwater-lakes-in-the-world-they/) [Susan Magsamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-magsamen/) > [“The lake is always east. East is always the lake. Anywhere else he's ever been he never knows where he is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/the-lake-is-always-east-east-is-always-the-lake-anywhere-else-he-s/) [Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/) > [“I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to marry me Lake...because I can't live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-m-not-asking-you-i-m-telling-you-to-marry-me-lake-because-i-can-t/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Upon a hill, across a blue lake, that's where I had my first heartbreak. I still remember how it all changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/upon-a-hill-across-a-blue-lake-that-s-where-i-had-my-first-heartbreak/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I knew I would stay in this town when I found the blue enamel pot floating in the lake. The pot led me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-knew-i-would-stay-in-this-town-when-i-found-the-blue-enamel-pot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I grew up on the lake and spent most of that time outdoors. 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You know that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/lake-i-love-you-the-last-thing-in-the-world-i-want-to-do-is-hurt-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) [Browse all 469 Lake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do you remember the lake?' she said, in an abrupt voice, under the pressure of an emotion which caught her heart, made the muscles of her throat stiff, and contracted her lips in a spasm as she said 'lake.' For she was a child, throwing bread to the ducks, between her parents, and at the same time a grown woman coming to her parents who stood by the lake, holding her life in her arms which, as she neared them grew larger and larger in her arms until it became a whole life, a complete life, which she put down by them and said, 'This is what I have made of it! This!' And what had she made of it? 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