You're a bird who's been in a cage all your life, and suddenly all the walls are gone, and you're in the wide open. You're so afraid you're looking for any way back into the cage again. He saw the emotions flicker across her pale face. Whatever you choose to think now, it's not safer there, Amanda. Even if you tried to go back now, I don't think you could survive that way again. He was right. She knew he was. She had reached the end of enduring it even before Michael claimed her. Yet, being here was no assurance.What if she couldn't fly?
The quote illustrates a profound internal struggle faced by Amanda, who feels both liberated and terrified after being freed from her oppressive past. The comparison of her to a bird released from a cage symbolizes newfound freedom but also highlights the fear of the unknown. Despite the walls being gone, Amanda grapples with the anxiety of what it means to be truly free and the instinct to revert back to what’s familiar, even if that means returning to confinement.
In her moment of reflection, she recognizes the truth in the words spoken to her: the idea of safety in her past is misleading. The comfort of the cage is now a burden, and she realizes she has outgrown that existence. However, the uncertainty of her new reality leaves her questioning her ability to navigate the world outside her previous constraints. This realization marks a significant turning point for Amanda, where the challenge lies not only in accepting freedom but also in learning to embrace her own strength and potential to thrive.
