"This head has risen above its hair in a moment of abandon known only to men who have drawn their feet out of their boots to walk awhile in the corridors of the mind"
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Djuna Barnes' quote, "This head has risen above its hair in a moment of abandon known only to men who have drawn their feet out of their boots to walk awhile in the corridors of the mind", is rich with imagery and suggests a deep exploration of awareness, spontaneity, and self-questioning.
The expression "this head has actually increased above its hair" stimulates a sense of transcendence or elevation beyond the physical self. It recommends a minute where one's ideas, concepts, or awareness increase above ordinary or everyday concerns. The act of rising "above its hair" might represent the soul or intelligence looking out beyond the restraints of the physique, recommending an endeavor into a more liberated, limitless world.
The expression "a minute of desert" communicates a releasing restrictions, a surrender to impulse or intuition. Desert here is not negligent but rather a deliberate, perhaps tranquil, escape from structured idea procedures. This state of desert is described as being special to "males who have actually drawn their feet out of their boots", an action that represents relaxation and release from responsibility or external expectations. Boots, typically associated with work, travel, and perseverance, recommend the burdens of life. By removing them, one participates in a symbolic act of freeing oneself from life's journeys and battles, choosing rather to dive inward.
To "stroll some time in the passages of the mind" is to check out one's inner thoughts deeply. Corridors recommend passages within the mind, emphasizing a journey through different aspects of idea, memory, and creativity. This journey is not hurried; it is an extravagance, to be savored, providing an opportunity for reflection and understanding.
Barnes shows a state of self-discovery where physical and psychological freedom culminate in a profound minute of self-questioning and creativity, available just through purposeful withdrawal from the world. The quote depicts a delicate balance between mindful thought and emotional spontaneity, celebrating a serene expedition of the self.
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