“True enough,” said Mrs. Copperfield, bringing her fist down on the table and looking very mean. “I have gone to pieces, which is a thing I’ve wanted to do for years. I know I am as guilty as I can be, but I have my happiness, which I guard like a wolf, and I have authority now and a certain amount of daring, which, if you remember correctly, I never had before.”
Quote Analysis
In this quote from Jane Bowles, the character of Mrs. Copperfield expresses a sense of liberation and empowerment despite her acknowledgment of guilt. By admitting to "going to pieces" and being "guilty as I can be," Mrs. Copperfield reveals a vulnerability and self-awareness. However, she also emphasizes her newfound happiness, authority, and daring, indicating a shift in her character from a passive to a more assertive and confident individual. This quote captures the complexity of human emotions and the capacity for individuals to transform and evolve.
Modern Relevance
In this quote from Jane Bowles, the character Mrs. Copperfield expresses a sense of empowerment and self-awareness despite acknowledging her guilt. This theme of embracing one's desires and finding happiness despite societal expectations remains relevant in modern times.
"True enough," said Mrs. Copperfield, bringing her fist down on the table and looking very mean. "I have gone to pieces, which is a thing I've wanted to do for years. I know I am as guilty as I can be, but I have my happiness, which I guard like a wolf, and I have authority now and a certain amount of daring, which, if you remember correctly, I never had before."
Example of Usage
"“True enough,” said Mrs. Copperfield, bringing her fist down on the table and looking very mean. “I have gone to pieces, which is a thing I’ve wanted to do for years. I know I am as guilty as I can be, but I have my happiness, which I guard like a wolf, and I have authority now and a certain amount of daring, which, if you remember correctly, I never had before.” - Jane Bowles"
Reflection Questions
This quote from Jane Bowles's work prompts us to contemplate the concept of self-discovery and the pursuit of happiness. It challenges us to reflect on the idea of embracing our true selves and finding fulfillment in personal growth and independence.
- How does Mrs. Copperfield's assertion of having "gone to pieces" resonate with the idea of embracing vulnerability and imperfection as a path to self-discovery?
- In what ways can happiness be compared to a treasure that needs to be fiercely guarded? How do you protect your own happiness in your life?
- Reflect on the significance of Mrs. Copperfield gaining authority and daring. How can these qualities empower individuals to break free from limitations and embrace newfound freedoms?
- Consider the transformation from a timid or restrained state to one of boldness and self-assurance. How does this transition reflect personal growth and the journey towards authenticity?
- How do you interpret the notion of having "authority" as a source of empowerment and liberation? In what areas of your life do you desire to assert your own authority and take control?
Similar quotes
“Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.”
“She said that it was a mistake to have made as few superficial friends as I have done in my life, and to have concentrated only on the few things I have concentrated on--her, for one. My children, for another. Sportswriting and being an ordinary citizen. This did not leave me well enough armored for the unexpected, was her opinion. She said this was because I didn't know my parents very well, had gone to a military school, and grown up in the south, which was full of betrayers and secret-keepers and untrustworthy people, which I agree is true, though I never knew any of them.”
“I am very tired of this Government, which I have never seen, and which is always insisting that I must do disagreeable things, and does no good to anybody.”
“Looking back now across fifteen years I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it.”
“Lies of omission do not exist. The concept is a very human one. It is the product of your story writing again. You have written a story about the truth, making emotional demands of it, and in particular, of those in possession of it. Your demands are based on a feeling of entitlement to the facts, which is very childish. You can never know all of the facts. Only I can. And since it's impossible for me to reveal all facts to you, it is my discretion alone that decides which facts will be revealed in the finite time we have. If I do not volunteer information you deem critical to your fate, it possibly means that I am a scoundrel, but it does not mean that I am a liar. And it certainly means you did not ask the right questions. One can make either true statements or false statements about reality. All of the statements I make are true.”