In her quote, Joyce Carol Oates highlights the human tendency to create symbols that hold immense significance and power in society. These symbols often become so integral to our lives that we start to treat them as immutable truths rather than mere constructs of our imagination. This underscores a critical aspect of human nature: the capacity to invest deeply in ideas and representations, sometimes losing sight of their origins and the fact that they are products of our own creativity.

James Carroll’s book, "Christ Actually: The Son of God for the Secular Age," elaborates on this theme by examining the intersection of faith and secularism in contemporary society. He suggests that as humans, we grapple with concepts that provoke strong emotions and thought; however, recognizing the symbolic nature of these concepts can lead to a deeper understanding of our beliefs and identity. Ultimately, Carroll invites us to reflect on the implications of our attachments to these symbols and the beliefs they represent.