Nostalgia can be a powerful emotion that affects individuals profoundly, especially those who feel disconnected from their past or origins. In Isabel Allende's "Of Love and Shadow," the quote "Nostalgia wears and annihilates, is the vice of the banished" highlights how this feeling can consume and diminish a person. It suggests that longing for what once was can distort reality, leading to emotional suffering and an inability to move forward.

Moreover, this sentiment reflects the struggles faced by those who have been exiled or removed from their homes. For the banished, nostalgia is not just a longing for the past but a vice that can hinder healing and acceptance. It emphasizes the complexity of memory and how it can tie individuals to a sense of loss, ultimately affecting their ability to embrace the present and envision a hopeful future.