Perhaps her mind would go on flexing psychic muscles that no longer existed; would be betrayed and mocked by a phantom self as the amputee is by a phantom limb. Someday she might replace whatever of her had gone away by some prosthetic device, a dress of a certain color, a phrase in a letter, another lover.
The passage reflects on the struggle of a person grappling with loss and the remnants of their former self. It draws a parallel between physical loss, like an amputee feeling a phantom limb, and the emotional or psychic void left by something that once defined them. The mind may continue to yearn for what is no longer present, leading to feelings of betrayal and mockery from these enduring memories.
The idea of replacement is also explored, suggesting that the individual may find ways to fill the void through external means, such as a dress, a letter, or a new relationship. These substitutes serve as a kind of prosthetic for the emotional loss, allowing her to navigate her changed reality while seeking to regain a sense of identity and wholeness.
