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It made me start to wonder if there were other people so lonely so close. I thought about “Eleanor Rigby.” It’s true, where do they all come from? And where do they all belong?
Jonathan Safran Foer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects on the loneliness experienced by individuals in a crowded world.

In this quote, Jonathan Safran Foer explores the theme of loneliness and the existential question of belonging. The reference to 'Eleanor Rigby,' a character from a song by The Beatles, highlights the plight of those who may seem surrounded by others yet feel isolated. It prompts readers to consider the hidden struggles of people in their proximity and raises questions about community and connection in a modern society.

Themes

LonelinessBelongingConnectionCommunityIsolation

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about mental health, you could share this quote to highlight the hidden struggles of individuals.

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What is being awake if not interpreting our dreams, or dreaming if not interpreting our wake?
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