He was like a statue being chiseled away from the inside, hollowed out. As more and more of his thoughts gave him pain, Milton had increasingly avoided them. Instead he concentrated on the few that made him feel better, the bromides about everything working out. Milton, quite simply, had ceased to think things through.
In "Middlesex," Jeffrey Eugenides illustrates Milton's internal struggle, portraying him as a statue slowly being sculpted from within. This metaphor highlights how Milton feels hollow and burdened by painful thoughts, which he increasingly chooses to avoid. His mind becomes a source of discomfort, leading him to focus on more comforting ideas rather than confronting difficult realities.
As Milton withdraws from introspection, he ultimately stops critically evaluating his life. This avoidance signifies a broader theme of escapism, where he clings to simplistic reassurances that everything will turn out fine. The narrative suggests that, in his quest for relief, Milton forfeits a deeper understanding of himself and his circumstances.
