This quote from Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love presents a compelling metaphor comparing marriage to a surgical procedure. Marriage is described as an operation that "sews two people together," suggesting an intimate, surgical intertwining of lives, emotions, and identities. This vivid imagery highlights the deliberate, intricate nature of marriage — it is not a casual melding but a careful joining of two individuals into something more unified. On the flip side, divorce is metaphorically equated to amputation, a painful and sometimes traumatic surgical removal that necessarily involves healing and recovery. This metaphor goes beyond simply viewing divorce as an end; it underscores the intensity of detachment and the deep wound it can create in a person’s emotional and relational life.

The analogy further emphasizes that the duration and quality of the marriage impact the difficulty of recovery post-divorce. Longstanding connections, like deeply knit tissues, carry more intricate bonds, making the severance traumatic and the healing process arduous. Likewise, a "rough" amputation suggests divorces involving conflict, bitterness, or hardship are psychologically more challenging. This metaphor eloquently captures the complexity, vulnerability, and pain embedded in romantic relationships and their dissolutions. It acknowledges that while marriage is an act of unity, separation is inevitably disruptive and painful.

Ultimately, this reflective passage invites readers to appreciate the emotional gravity of both forming and ending a union. It merges the physicality of surgical imagery with the psychological weight of love and loss, enriching our understanding of human connection. It encourages empathy and patience towards oneself and others during times of relationship transitions.