Love Quote by W. Somerset Maugham
““Grief she could not feel, for there had been too much bitterness between her mother and herself to leave in her heart any deep feeling of affection; and looking back on the girl she had been she knew that it was her mother who had made her what she was.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Moon and Sixpence, 1919
A mother’s bitterness blocks the daughter’s ability to feel grief, shaping her identity through that emotional void.
In simple terms: Bitterness blocks feeling, shaping self.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how resentment shapes identity.
Themes
family dynamics
emotional blockage
identity formation
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
psychological
literary
When to use this quote
- Therapy
- family counseling
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Psychological defense
intergenerational trauma
Questions to Reflect On
- What resentments affect your self‑image?
- Can you feel grief despite bitterness?
A Different Perspective
May ignore resilience and other emotions.
![“[S]ociety often tends to make those of us in grief feel shame and embarrassment about our feelings of grief. "Shame can be described as feeling that something you are doing is bad. And you may feel that if you mourn, then you should be ashamed. If you are perceived as 'doing well' with your grief…” quote by Alan D. Wolfelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/232/alan-d-wolfelt-77279_grief_s-ociety-often-tends-to-make-those-of-us_1331641.jpg)
