Like all people who have known rough times, light-heartedness seemed to her too irrational and inconsequent to be indulged in except as a reckless dram now and then; for she had been too early habituated to anxious reasoning to drop the habit suddenly.. Her triumph was tempered by circumspection, she had still that field-mouse fear of the coulter of destiny despite fair promise, which is common among the thoughtful who have suffered early from poverty and oppression.Thomas Hardy
About This Quote
The writer, Emily Bronte, is speaking about her view of the world. She has not risen above the life of a peasant, but she remains hopeful that things will get better. Her tone is light-hearted, but her heart is full of sorrow. She is able to laugh when she thinks about the past, but her heart still aches for the poverty and oppression that she has suffered. The idea in this quote is that people who have known rough times are able to view the world with a certain amount of humor and hope.
Source: The Mayor Of Casterbridge
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