Was this what marriage was, the slow process of getting to know another individual far better than was advisable? Sometimes {his} gestures and inflections were so mercilessly familiar that it was as if he were an extension of me, an element of my own personality over which I had little control.
The quote reflects a deep contemplation on the nature of marriage and intimacy. It suggests that the experience of marrying someone involves a gradual and sometimes unsettling journey of understanding that person on an incredibly intimate level. The speaker seems to question whether this profound familiarity is truly a blessing or a burden, hinting at the vulnerability that comes with such closeness.
The comparison of the partner's familiar gestures to an extension of oneself raises concerns about individuality within a relationship. This familiarity can lead to a loss of control over one's own identity as partners become intertwined. The passage captures the complexity of marital bonds, balancing between companionship and the potential for discomfort in sharing one's life so completely with another person.
