She cried for herself, she cried because she was afraid that she herself might die in the night, because she was alone in the world, because her desperate and empty life was not an overture but an ending, and through it all she could see was the rough, brutal shape of a coffin.
The quote reflects the deep despair and fear of isolation experienced by the character. She feels overwhelmed by her loneliness, fearing that her life, characterized by desperation, is reaching a final chapter rather than a hopeful beginning. This sense of impending doom and the image of death loom large in her mind, symbolizing the emotional struggles she faces.
Her tears signify not only her personal suffering but also the universal fear of mortality and the emptiness that can accompany solitude. Cheever captures this complex emotional state, illustrating the profound impact of loneliness on the human psyche and the haunting thought of an unfinished life met with an ending that feels inevitable.
