In this quote, Paul Bowles is describing a woman whose beauty is not conventional, but rather comes from the intensity of her gaze. This suggests that there is something unique and captivating about her presence that goes beyond mere physical appearance. The emphasis on her gaze implies that there is a depth or intensity to her character that sets her apart from others. Overall, this quote highlights the idea that true beauty can come from within, and is not solely dependent on outward appearance.
In today's society, where image and beauty play a significant role in shaping one's identity, Paul Bowles's quote serves as a reminder of the importance of authenticity and depth beyond superficial appearances. The intensity of one's gaze, representing depth of character and inner strength, can serve as a beacon of individuality and uniqueness in a world that often values conformity and prettiness. By embracing our authentic selves and allowing our gaze to reflect our true essence, we can stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impact.
One example of the usage of the phrase "intensity of her gaze" can be found in a quote by Paul Bowles: “She was saved from prettiness by the intensity of her gaze.” This exemplifies how a person's gaze can convey depth and emotion beyond mere physical attractiveness.
Paul Bowles' quote, "She was saved from prettiness by the intensity of her gaze," invites us to consider the power and impact of one's gaze. Reflecting on this quote, consider the following questions:
“At some point in the night she had a dream. Or it was possible that she was partially awake, and was only remembering a dream? She was alone among the rocks on a dark coast beside the sea. The water surged upward and fell back languidly, and in the distance she heard surf breaking slowly on a sandy shore. It was comforting to be this close to the surface of the ocean and gaze at the intimate nocturnal details of its swelling and ebbing. And as she listened to the faraway breakers rolling up onto the beach, she became aware of another sound entwined with the intermittent crash of waves: a vast horizontal whisper across the bossom of the sea, carrying an ever-repeated phrase, regular as a lighthouse flashing: Dawn will be breaking soon. She listened a long time: again and again the scarcely audible words were whispered across the moving water. A great weight was being lifted slowly from her; little by little her happiness became more complete, and she awoke. Then she lay for a few minutes marveling the dream, and once again fell asleep.”
“Someone once had said to her that the sky hides the night behind it, shelters the person beneath from the horror that lies above. Unblinking, she fixed the solid emptiness, and the anguish began to move in her. At any moment the rip can occur, the edges fly back, and the giant maw will be revealed.”
“These were the first moments of a new existence, a strange one in which she already glimpsed the element of timelessness that would surround her. The person who frantically has been counting the seconds on his way to catch a train, and arrives panting just as it disappears, knowing the next one is not due for many hours, feels something of the same sudden surfeit of time, the momentary sensation of drowning in an element become too rich and too plentiful to be consumed, and thereby made meaningless, non-existent.”
“Everyone is isolated from everyone else. The concept of society is like a cushion to protect us from the knowledge of that isolation. A fiction that serves as an anesthetic.”
“the sky here's very strange. I often have the sensation when I look at it that it's a solid thing up there, protecting us from what's behind . . . [from] nothing, I suppose. Just darkness. Absolute night.”
“The sky hides the night behind it and shelters the people beneath from the horror that lies above.”