Skip to content
quotesby

About this quote

What does it mean?
Silence allows people to maintain the illusion of mutual love when it may not exist.
In plain terms
Not speaking about feelings lets people pretend love is mutual.
What can you take from it?
Silence often preserves romantic illusions.

Where it applies

  • avoiding difficult conversations
  • maintaining false hope

Putting it to work

  • challenging assumptions in love

Questions to consider

  • What truths are you avoiding to keep a peace?

Another view

It assumes the characters lack the courage to speak.

More from Orson Scott Card

  1. All I could think of was how close I came to losing you not close enough. How could you lose me, when you've never had me, never wanted me?

    Permalink to quote #569
  2. And then [he] wondered why he would think of such a useless question at a time like this

    Permalink to quote #571
  3. I trust you because I've come to know you, and coming to know you, I've learned to love you. I've fallen in love with your boldness, your humility, your innoce…

    Permalink to quote #568

Related quotes

  1. Utter confusion/ Live on in your illusion/ That won't wear out

    Charles MansonCharles Manson quote #16
  2. Sensual love deceives one as to the nature of heavenly love; it could not do so alone, but since it unconsciously has the element of heavenly love within it, i…

    Franz KafkaFranz Kafka quote #43
  3. Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, m…

    E. E. CummingsE. E. Cummings quote #91