Perhaps I've been reading too much Hesse, but this reminds me somewhat of Steppenwolf. An elderly gentleman who finds he doesn't like the bourgeoisie-- doesn't fit in, and doesn't want to--and feels that he wants to give in to his wolf side more. The sheltered cave she seeks seems to evoke the same sense of security that he has never seen, and hasn't even dreamt, so it is something completely foreign and not accessible.
Perhaps I've been reading too much Hesse, but this reminds me somewhat of Steppenwolf. An elderly gentleman who finds he doesn't like the bourgeoisie-- doesn't fit in, and doesn't want to--and feels that he wants to give in to his wolf side more. The sheltered cave she seeks seems to evoke the same sense of security that he has never seen, and hasn't even dreamt, so it is something completely foreign and not accessible.