We battled in secret, undeclared, and after a while I no longer fought back because I never won. The only defense was flight, invisibility.
In Margaret Atwood's "Surfacing," the narrator reflects on the struggle she endures, which she describes as a hidden and unacknowledged battle. Over time, the repeated confrontations take a toll on her spirit, leading her to abandon her attempts to resist. This sense of defeat transforms her understanding of survival, prompting her to seek escape and concealment as her primary means of coping.
This passage emphasizes the theme of internal conflict and the complexity of human emotions, portraying how persistent struggles can lead to a sense of powerlessness. The narrator's choice of retreat into invisibility conveys the idea that sometimes, the only way to cope with ongoing challenges is to withdraw from them entirely, highlighting the deeply personal nature of her experience.
Rate the Quote
User Reviews
Other quotes in book quote
All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
