“I told him the story of the day I'd been mending pottery with one of the maids in the kitchen at Keramzin, waiting for him to return from one of the hunting trips that had taken him from home more and more frequently. I'd been fifteen, standing at the counter, vainly trying to glue together the jagged pieces of a blue cup. When I saw him crossing the fields, I ran to the doorway and waved. He caught sight of me and broke into a jog.I had crossed the yard to him slowly, watching him draw closer, baffled by the way my heart was skittering around in my chest. Then he'd picked me up and swung me in a circle, and I'd clung to him, breathing in his sweet, familiar smell, shocked by how much I'd missed him. Dimly, I'd been aware that I still had a shard of that blue cup in my hand, that it was digging into my palm, but I didn't want to let go.When he finally set me down and ambled off into the kitchen to find his lunch, I had stood there, my palm dripping in blood, my head still spinning, knowing that everything had changed.Ana Kuya had scolded me for getting blood on the clean kitchen floor. She'd bandaged my hand and told me it would heal. But I knew it would just go on hurting.”
Example of Usage
In this passage from Leigh Bardugo's novel, the protagonist reflects on a pivotal moment in her youth when a simple gesture from someone she cared deeply for changed everything. The imagery of mending pottery serves as a metaphor for the fragile relationships and emotions at play in the story.
Quote Analysis
In this poignant passage from Leigh Bardugo's novel, the main character recounts a significant moment from her past that symbolizes the pain of longing and change. The memory of waiting for her loved one to return home, only to be met with the harsh reality of his absence, illustrates the theme of attachment and loss. The broken blue cup serves as a powerful metaphor for the shattered relationship between the characters and the emotional wounds that linger long after the physical pain has subsided. This passage beautifully captures the complex emotions of love, longing, and heartache.
Modern Relevance:
This poignant passage from Leigh Bardugo's novel "Shadow and Bone" explores the theme of longing, love, and heartbreak. The protagonist's emotions and experiences in the passage are relatable to anyone who has ever felt the pain of a changing relationship or the ache of missing someone deeply.
In today's fast-paced world, where relationships can evolve and change rapidly, this passage serves as a reminder of the enduring nature of emotions and the impact that significant moments can have on our lives. The feelings of longing, loss, and change portrayed in this excerpt can resonate with readers who have experienced similar shifts in their own relationships. It highlights the universality of human emotions and the lasting impact of significant moments in our lives.
Reflection Questions:
After reading this passage from Leigh Bardugo's work, take a moment to reflect on the emotions and experiences conveyed. Consider the following questions:
What do you think the symbolism of the broken cup and the act of trying to mend it represents in this passage?
How does the author effectively convey the protagonist's growing feelings and realization through the use of sensory details and imagery?
How does the physical injury of the protagonist's hand parallel the emotional pain she experiences in this scene?
How does this passage explore themes of longing, change, and vulnerability in relationships?
Reflect on a time in your own life when a seemingly ordinary moment held significant emotional weight. How did it impact you and those around you?
Similar quotes
“I had crossed the yard to him slowly, watching him draw closer, baffled by the way my heart was skittering around my chest. Then he'd picked me up and spun me in a circle, and I'd clung to him, breathing in his sweet, familiar smell, shocked by how much I'd missed him. Dimly, I'd been aware that I still had a shard of the blue cup in my hand, that it was digging into my palm, but I didn't want to let go.When he finally set me down and ambled off to the kitchen to find his lunch, I stood there, my palm dripping blood, my head still spinning, knowing that everything had changed.Ana Kuya had scoled me for getting blood on the clean kitchen floor. She'd bandaged my hand and told me it would heal. But I knew it would just go on hurting.In the creaking silence of the cell, Mal kissed the scar on my palm, the wound made so long ago by the edge of that broken cup, a fragile thing I'd thought beyond repair.”
“Ah, well..." I started to say, and then stopped. So that was where he was going; I'd heard it before. Richard had told me that I'd not been standing in my mother's shoes in 1942, when I was born; he'd said I couldn't, or shouldn't, judge her. It was my not forgiving her that irked him-it was my intolerance of her intolerance that bugged him.”
“I pushed passed him. He grabbed my hand and swung me back towards him. Then he pushed me against the wall and... he kissed me.He ran his thumb along my jawline and down my throat, hips pinning me to the wall. He kissed me slowly and with intensity, and once I got over the mind-numbing shock and comprehended what was actually happening, it was incredible. I had never been kissed like that before. We melted together. Every movement of mine was somehow perfectly mirrored by his. My heart was pounding so hard I knew he must be able to feel it and I was sure my legs were giving way, but he held me up, pushed me harder against the wall.I grabbed a handful of his hair, remembering all the times I'd dreamed of doing it. I let my hand drift down his back and pulled him even closer to me. It all happened so quickly. I heard him make a low kind of growl and lean into me. His hand slid down my leg behind my knee, drawing it to him. I moaned and felt him tense.”
“Staring up at me, hearing my tired voice, he reached out his tiny hand. He knew me, even though he had never seen me before. And I knew him. He was the love I'd been trying to express my whole life.”
“I had to get over [him]. For months now, a stone had been sitting on my heart. I'd shed a lot of tears over [him], lost a lot of sleep, eaten a lot of cake batter. Somehow, I had to move on. [Life] would be hell if I didn't shake loose from the grip he had on my heart. I most definitely didn't want to keep feeling this way, alone in a love affair meant for two. Even if he'd felt like The One. Even if I'd always thought we'd end up together. Even if he still had a choke chain on my heart.”