If certain books are to be termed 'immigrant fiction,' what do we call the rest? Native fiction? Puritan fiction? This distinction doesn't agree with me.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
There were times Ruma felt closer to her mother in death than she had in life, an intimacy born simply of thinking of her so often, of missing her. But she knew that this was an illusion, a mirage, and that the distance between them was now infinite, unyielding.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the complex feelings of closeness and distance in relationships, particularly in grief.
In this poignant reflection on loss, Ruma contemplates the paradox of feeling more connected to her deceased mother than when she was alive, a feeling driven by nostalgia and longing. However, she recognizes this emotional bond as illusory, acknowledging that the finality of death creates an unbridgeable gap between them, highlighting the intricate nature of love, memory, and the passage of time.
Themes
GriefLossMemoryIntimacyIllusion
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared at a memorial service to express the deep connections we maintain with lost loved ones.
More from Jhumpa Lahiri
All quotes →When I sit down to write, I don't think about writing about an idea or a given message. I just try to write a story which is hard enough.
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When I am experiencing a complex story or novel, the broader planes, and also details, tend to fall away.
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I think each time you start a story or novel or whatever, you are absolutely at the bottom of the ladder all over again. It doesn't matter what you've done before.
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The sky was different, without color, taut and unforgiving. But the water was the most unforgiving thing, nearly black at times, cold enough, I knew, to kill me, violent enough to break me apart. The waves were immense, battering rocky beaches without sand. The farther I went, the more desolate it became, more than any place I'd been, but for this very reason the landscape drew me, claimed me as nothing had in a long time.
Jhumpa LahiriRead
On the technical side, I hope that my writing is evolving and maturing, ripening, deepening.
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