I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Isolation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"I am a hundred square-yards sane." If there were such things as man-hours and light-years, surely there was foot-sanity. (3.4)

When Deborah is first at the mental hospital, she jokes with her fellow patient Carla that privileges are doled out in terms of how far you can walk away from the building itself. At first, Deborah is only given permission to walk the grounds—she's that troubled.

Quote #5

When he and Esther quarreled, the crucial thing remained unspoken, leaving an atmosphere of wordless rancor and accusation. (4.4)

Jacob and Esther, why can't you two talk to each other? How else will Deborah learn to express her own feelings? These folks simply don't discuss their true feelings and thoughts, even with each other, even about putting Deborah away and how that might affect their marriage and their family. Uncomfortable silences abound.

Quote #6

She sat on the other side of the heavy twelfth-century iron portcullis that Deborah occasionally found separating them. The portcullis had been raised this time, invisible, but when the doctor had mentioned parents and a visit, Deborah heard the sudden rasp, and down it clanged between them. (4.21)

Deborah has a love/hate relationship with isolation. We get introduced to this medieval gate when she's talking with Dr. Fried. The second Dr. Fried mentions that Deborah's parents want to come visit, Deborah hears the gate slam down.