This is a quote from the tragic short story "The Scarlet Abyss" by James Hurst. Can you help explain this quote to me?
"There is within me (and with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty born by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction, and at times I was mean to ______*"
*=Doodle, the narrator's invalid brother
P.S. This story is a very deep piece of work. It comments on the tenacity and splendor of the human spirit. Awesome story if you haven't read it.
2007-09-25 17:42:14 · 6 answers · asked by whosyourdaddy 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I mostly don't get the part: "a knot of cruelty born by the stream of love" Thanks for your help!
2007-09-25 17:44:01 · update #1
You always hurt the one you love.
People hurt those closest to themselves, as they are ones that are most likely to forgive. Why do love affairs break down? We make our pain, theirs and then often hate them for it.
2007-09-25 17:49:08 · answer #1 · answered by Songbyrd JPA ✡ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reading this passage brings to mind the old adage:
You only hurt the ones you love.
Quite possibly this author is trying to express the idea that some of the greatest cruelty is shown by the people who know you best. After all you mother , father or wife know all your secrets. In times of stress these secrets can be used as a weapon.
Hope this helps.
2007-09-26 00:52:31 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. Wu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Isn't it The Scarlet Ibis? Dunno, I read it in 8th grade..
Well knot of cruelty... pretty deep if you consider the nature of knots, and how they come to exist in the first place- either by a deliberant action or (as in the context) by an abundance (streaming) of love. This also suggests that this cruelty can be untied, frayed by time, or tightened... whatever, I'm probably getting too anal about the word "knot".
The rest is pretty obvious.
2007-09-26 01:13:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like they said, you always hurt the ones you love. I don't quite get it either though, in terms of the language used - "a knot of cruelty born by the stream of love" sounds like a bad case of mixed metaphors to me.
2007-09-26 01:10:08 · answer #4 · answered by injanier 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means you are trying to impress everyone by posting this melodramatic , high minded , book that really doesn't mean JACK !
Go have a bowl of Cheerios and help your nieghbor with an everyday household chore . Get over yourself .
2007-09-26 00:48:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
I havent read the book.. but the words suggest Jealousy or envy.. do either of those fit?
2007-09-26 00:45:35 · answer #6 · answered by ca_surveyor 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋