Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Quote

From Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran-Foer:

(a character writes in her diary about the "Sadnesses of the body")

Mirror sadness; Sadness of [looking] like or unlike one's parent; Sadness of not knowing if your body is normal; Sadness of knowing your [body is] not normal; Sadness of knowing your body is normal; Beauty sadness; Sadness of m[ak]eup; Sadness of physical pain; Pins-and-[needles sadness]; Sadness of clothes [sic]; Sadness of the quavering eyelid; Sadness of a missing rib; Noticeable sad[ness]; Sadness of going unnoticed...
I read this and thought it was beautiful. I hope it translates to people who haven't read the book.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm going to need some context in order to understand why this person is so hell-bent on being sad.

Unknown said...

she lives her life in sadness. It's the norm for her. But we, at least most of us, have experienced these sadnesses. That's why I love it so much.