Too Old for This begins with a quote from Virginia Woolf: "The older one grows the more one likes indecency" (p. 3). What do you think of the author's use of it here? How does it set the stage for the novel? Do you agree with the sentiment?

BookBrowse Book Club Too Old for This Discussion
1

Too Old for This begins with a quote from Virginia Woolf: “The older one grows the more one likes indecency” (p. 3). What do you think of the author’s use of it here? How does it set the stage for the novel? Do you agree with the sentiment? Why or why not?

2

The quote appropriately sets the stage for the story and Lottie’s reactions. Personally, though, I don’t think that way as I age.

3

I am a fan of this quote, so I will try not to bore everyone with my understanding. Woolf is stating this as a double meaning, certainly as one gets older many people can be more candid, blunt or just not find it necessary to be careful about their opinion. They let it fly! But it was also written as a statement about British society. The rules and norm in British society could be viewed as a gag on women and the non-wealthy and as Britain was getting older it was time to be more candid and “indecent” allowing women and the lower classes to rise and have both an opinion and power! (Yes, I am a fan of Woolf…can you tell!)

I thought it fit the novel.

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4

It certainly sets the stage, and then some. I do think that the older one grows, the more comfortable one may be in expressing their opinions, in choosing how and what they want to do with their time. “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn’t go” by Jenny Joseph.

5

I think the older we get the more we tolerate - or just the opposite, the less we tolerate. If you tolerate more, than that saying has merit. I think using that statement gives a preview of what is to come - the more Lottie murders the easier it is to do it again. ‘the more one likes indecency’ - maybe not, but the more one tolerates indecency is more correct. The more we age the more we have seen and the less shocked we are.

6

I definitely don’t agree with that statement. My take is that people (including myself) become a little more cognizant of indecencies as we age. We do become more free and give ourselves a lot of grace in doing exactly as we want, but I don’t see antipathy and rudeness toward others as a part of that freedom.

7

I’m not an expert on Woolf, so I appreciate @Dee_Driscole’s explanation.

I interpreted that to mean that as we age, we care less and less about trivial, unimportant matters and nothing much shocks us because of all we have seen and experienced. Most of us develop more of a “live and let live” attitude.