--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The strange thing on looking back was the…" description: "\"“The strange thing on looking back was the purity, the integrity of her feeling for Sally. It was not like one's feeling for a man.”\" — Virginia Woolf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/virginia-woolf-49_quote_the-strange-thing-on-looking-back-was-th_952539.jpg" --- # The strange thing on looking back was the purity, the… ![“The strange thing on looking back was the purity, the integrity of her feeling for Sally. It was not like one's feeling for a man.” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/virginia-woolf-49_quote_the-strange-thing-on-looking-back-was-th_952539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/virginia-woolf-49_quote_the-strange-thing-on-looking-back-was-th_952539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ad/virginia-woolf-49_quote_the-strange-thing-on-looking-back-was-th_952539.jpg) > ““The strange thing on looking back was the purity, the integrity of her feeling for Sally. It was not like one's feeling for a man.”” [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 woman's pure, sincere affection for a friend differs fundamentally from romantic love. **In simple terms:** Friendship love is distinct from romantic love. Key Takeaway Value deep, non-romantic bonds. Themes friendship love gender emotions Mood introspective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - confidante relationships - support networks Key Concepts intimacy purity integrity Questions to Reflect On - What qualities define platonic love? - How do societal norms shape our view of female affection? A Different Perspective Romantic bias may undervalue platonic love. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“We shall never succeed in knowing ourselves unless we seek to know God; by looking at His purity we shall see our foulness; by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-aon-prakasha/we-shall-never-succeed-in-knowing-ourselves-unless-we-seek-to-know/) [Padma Aon Prakasha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-aon-prakasha/) > [You're looking for purity, something that just isn't all garbled, someplace where you can feel the earth again, where you can feel what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-re-looking-for-purity-something-that-just-isn-t-all-garbled/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I don't know Sally Jenkins. I've met her once. I wouldn't know her in an elevator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-snyder/i-don-t-know-sally-jenkins-i-ve-met-her-once-i-wouldn-t-know-her-in/) [Daniel Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-snyder/) > [“You might be surprised to see how frightening your wife can be." For dramatic effect, I step back so the breeze blowing down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-shepherd/you-might-be-surprised-to-see-how-frightening-your-wife-can-be-for/) [Megan Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-shepherd/) > [Sally is my wife, but not my chattel or my property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bercow/sally-is-my-wife-but-not-my-chattel-or-my-property/) [John Bercow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bercow/) > [I'd say Rob Reiner's 'When Harry Met Sally' is my all-time favorite. It made me realize there's a way of telling a story where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-story/i-d-say-rob-reiner-s-when-harry-met-sally-is-my-all-time-favorite-it/) [Tim Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-story/) > [“I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-reckon-i-got-to-light-out-for-the-territory-ahead-of-the-rest/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Why is she Mrs. C.J. Walker? It really was a matter of her trying to insist that people respect her, because during that time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/why-is-she-mrs-c-j-walker-it-really-was-a-matter-of-her-trying-to/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [“You're so hypno-something, could you be the devil, could you be an angel, your touch is something good, feels like going floating, leave my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/you-re-so-hypno-something-could-you-be-the-devil-could-you-be-an/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [All you wanna do is ride around, Sally ride Sally ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-guy/all-you-wanna-do-is-ride-around-sally-ride-sally-ride/) [Buddy Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-guy/) > [Sally...can no longer think of love as a reality, or even as a possibility, however remote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/sally-can-no-longer-think-of-love-as-a-reality-or-even-as-a/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Sally did the mature thing and stuck her tongue out at her best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/sally-did-the-mature-thing-and-stuck-her-tongue-out-at-her-best-friend/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Sally laughed. "When you first told me you were interested in Decebel, I honestly thought that there was no way you two would ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/sally-laughed-when-you-first-told-me-you-were-interested-in-decebel-i/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) ## 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'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) 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 Sally quotes > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [“Sally laughed. "When you first told me you were interested in Decebel, I honestly thought that there was no way you two would ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/sally-laughed-when-you-first-told-me-you-were-interested-in-decebel-i/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Sally did the mature thing and stuck her tongue out at her best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/sally-did-the-mature-thing-and-stuck-her-tongue-out-at-her-best-friend/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [Sally...can no longer think of love as a reality, or even as a possibility, however remote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/sally-can-no-longer-think-of-love-as-a-reality-or-even-as-a/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [All you wanna do is ride around, Sally ride Sally ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-guy/all-you-wanna-do-is-ride-around-sally-ride-sally-ride/) [Buddy Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-guy/) > [“You're so hypno-something, could you be the devil, could you be an angel, your touch is something good, feels like going floating, leave my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/you-re-so-hypno-something-could-you-be-the-devil-could-you-be-an/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [Why is she Mrs. C.J. Walker? It really was a matter of her trying to insist that people respect her, because during that time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/why-is-she-mrs-c-j-walker-it-really-was-a-matter-of-her-trying-to/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [“I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-reckon-i-got-to-light-out-for-the-territory-ahead-of-the-rest/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I'd say Rob Reiner's 'When Harry Met Sally' is my all-time favorite. It made me realize there's a way of telling a story where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-story/i-d-say-rob-reiner-s-when-harry-met-sally-is-my-all-time-favorite-it/) [Tim Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-story/) > [Sally is my wife, but not my chattel or my property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bercow/sally-is-my-wife-but-not-my-chattel-or-my-property/) [John Bercow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bercow/) > [“You might be surprised to see how frightening your wife can be." For dramatic effect, I step back so the breeze blowing down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-shepherd/you-might-be-surprised-to-see-how-frightening-your-wife-can-be-for/) [Megan Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-shepherd/) > [I don't know Sally Jenkins. I've met her once. I wouldn't know her in an elevator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-snyder/i-don-t-know-sally-jenkins-i-ve-met-her-once-i-wouldn-t-know-her-in/) [Daniel Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-snyder/) > [“There is nothing simple about something (love) that can fill you with the greatest joy you have ever known. It can make men build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinn-loftis/there-is-nothing-simple-about-something-love-that-can-fill-you-with/) [Quinn Loftis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinn-loftis/) > [“I’m the kind of person, who, when bored or unhappy, either drinks myself into oblivion or cooks very unhealthy things; Sally is the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/i-m-the-kind-of-person-who-when-bored-or-unhappy-either-drinks-myself/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) Browse all 79 Sally quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The strange thing on looking back was the purity, the integrity of her feeling for Sally. 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