Both Uses of
compassion
in
The Key, by Eudora Welty
- His youth by now did not seem an important thing about him; it was a medium for his activity, no doubt, but as he stood there frowning and smoking you felt some apprehension that he would never express whatever might be the desire of his life in being young and strong, in standing apart in compassion, in making any intuitive present or sacrifice, or in any way of action at all-not because there was too much in the world demanding his strength, but because he was too deeply aware.†
compassion = sympathy for another's suffering and wanting to help
- As he held the match close he gazed straight ahead, and in his eyes, all at once wild and searching, there was certainly, besides the simple compassion in his regard, a look both restless and weary, very much used to the comic.†
*