You're gutless. It's how you were made. And that's not such a bad thing because your saving grace is that you've never lied to yourself about it. Not about that. Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is... God help him.
Inside Laila too a battle was being waged : guilt on one side, partnered with shame, and, on the other, the conviction that what she and Tariq had done was not sinful; that it had been natural, good, beautiful, even inevitable, spurred by the knowledge that they might never see each other again.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the internal conflict between guilt and the natural expression of love.
In this quote, Khaled Hosseini delves into the complex emotional turmoil experienced by Laila as she faces a battle within herself. She grapples with feelings of guilt and shame about her love for Tariq, experiencing a poignant dichotomy between societal expectations of sinfulness and the profound conviction that their connection is pure and beautiful. This reflection underscores the depth of human emotions in relationships and the lingering impact of fleeting moments of love, especially in the face of uncertainty about the future.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the complexity of love, you might say, 'As Khaled Hosseini wrote, 'Inside Laila too a battle was being waged' highlighting the inner conflicts we often face in relationships.'
More from Khaled Hosseini
All quotes →There was brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that even time could not break. - Amir
I don't outline at all; I don't find it useful, and I don't like the way it boxes me in. I like the element of surprise and spontaneity, of letting the story find its own way.
And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.
Perspective [is] a luxury when your head [is] constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons.
The desert weed lives on, but the flower of spring blooms and wilts.
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There are things that I canna tell you, at least not yet. And I'll ask nothing of ye that ye canna give me. But what I would ask of ye---when you do tell me something, let it be the truth. And I'll promise ye the same. We have nothing now between us, save---respect, perhaps. And I think that respect has maybe room for secrets, but not for lies. Do ye agree?
They always threw their arms around and hugged me while crying our Yiddish endearments. Yet none of them believed in God. They believed in social justice, good works, Israel, and Bette Midler. I was nearly thirty before I met a religious Jew.
You can't organize people if you don't love them. And however hard it can be to love the racist you come in contact with; doing so is the first obligation of a white antiracist.