The mere thought of divorce terrified me. To me, divorce symbolized failure.

Funicello frames divorce not as a neutral legal remedy but as an emotionally charged emblem of personal defeat. The line suggests an internalized ideal of marriage as a lifelong commitment and a fear that ending it would publicly confirm inadequacy—"failure"—rather than signal self-preservation or growth. Read this way, the quote captures how social expectations and personal values can make certain choices feel unthinkable, even when circumstances might warrant them. It also hints at the psychological burden of equating relationship outcomes with self-worth, a mindset that can intensify anxiety and discourage seeking change.