Grief Quote by William Faulkner
““And George Farr had the town, the earth, the world to himself and his sorrow. Music came faint as a troubling rumor beneath the spring night, sweetened by distance: a longing knowing no ease. (Oh God, oh God!) At last George Farr gave up trying to see her. He had 'phoned vainly and time after time, at last the telephone became the end in place of the means: he had forgotten why he wanted to reach her. Finally he told himself that he hated her, that he would go away; finally he was going to as much pains to avoid her as he had been to see her. So he slunk about the streets like a criminal, avoiding her, feeling his his very heart stop when he did occasionally see her unmistakable body from a distance. And at night he lay sleepless and writhing to think of her, then to rise and don a few garments and walk past her darkened house, gazing in slow misery at the room in which he knew she lay, soft and warm, in intimate slumber, then to return to home and bed to dream of her brokenly.””
About This Quote
A man obsessed with a lover becomes consumed by longing, leading to self‑destructive avoidance and sleepless torment.
In simple terms: Obsessive love drives him to avoid and suffer.
Key Takeaway
Recognize unhealthy patterns and seek healthier coping.
Themes
obsession
longing
avoidance
torment
self‑sabotage
Mood
melancholy
tormented
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- breakup
- unrequited love
- nighttime rumination
Key Concepts
unrequited love
psychological conflict
nighttime anxiety
Questions to Reflect On
- What does his avoidance reveal about his fear?
- How can one break the cycle of obsessive longing?
A Different Perspective
His actions are driven by fear rather than rational choice.
![“You see, Harold, I feel that much of the world's sorrow comes from people who are *this*, [she points to a daisy] Maude: yet allow themselves be treated as *that*. [she gestures to a field of daisies]” quote by Colin Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c68/colin-higgins-56089_grief_you-see-harold-i-feel-that-much-of-the-w_2484903.jpg)
