Welcome to our blog article, where we embark on a thrilling journey into the enchanting world of one of the greatest literary figures of the American South. Prepare to be captivated by the timeless wisdom and profound insights of none other than William Faulkner. Known for his masterful storytelling and evocative prose, Faulkner's works continue to resonate with readers around the globe, offering a glimpse into the complex tapestry of Southern life.
But before we dive into the treasure trove of Faulkner's quotes, let's set the stage with a fascinating anecdote about the man himself. Picture this: a young William Faulkner, sitting on the porch of his family's Mississippi farmhouse, penning tales that would soon catapult him into literary stardom. Inspired by the people and landscapes of his Southern homeland, Faulkner skillfully wove together narratives that explored the intricacies of human nature, often layered with themes of race, class, and family. With his trademark blend of empathy and introspection, Faulkner's works painted a vivid picture of the South, both hauntingly beautiful and unflinchingly honest.
Now, get ready to immerse yourself in the eloquence and depth of William Faulkner's words as we present to you 50 Southern William Faulkner quotes that will stir your soul and ignite your imagination. From poignant reflections on love and loss to profound observations on the human condition, these quotes encapsulate the essence of Faulkner's literary prowess. So, grab a mint julep, find a cozy spot, and join us on this captivating journey through the heart and mind of one of the South's most cherished literary icons.
Love and Relationships
1. “A gentleman can live through anything.”
2. “There is no such thing as was-only is.”
3. “Memory believes before knowing remembers.”
4. “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”
5. “Maybe nothing ever happens once and is finished.”
6. “Given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain.”
7. “You don't love because: you love despite; not for the virtues, but despite the faults.”
8. “The end of wisdom is to dream high enough not to lose the dream in the seeking of it.”
9. “If a writer has to rob his mother, he will not hesitate; the ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn' is worth any number of old ladies.”
10. “Between grief and nothing, I will take grief.”
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Human Nature and Society
11. “Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.”
12. “I decline to accept the end of man.”
13. “No battle is ever won… They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.”
14. “The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”
15. “The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again.”
16. “A man is the sum of his misfortunes.”
17. “We must be free not because we claim freedom but because we practice it.”
18. “To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”
19. “People to whom sin is just a matter of words, to them salvation is just words too.”
20. “To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow.”
Identity and History
21. “The past is never where you think you left it.”
22. “The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself.”
23. “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”
24. “The best fiction is far more true than any journalism.”
25. “The writer's only responsibility is to his art.”
26. “The artist doesn't have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don't have the time to read reviews.”
27. “Given a choice between grief and nothing, I'd choose grief.”
28. “The salvation of the world is in man's suffering.”
29. “The past isn't dead. It isn't even past.”
30. “Every man is the arbiter of his own virtues.”
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Nature and Landscape
31. “The old grief of the world stands next to every road.”
32. “I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail.”
33. “I don't write for children; I write for the childlike, whether they are six or sixty.”
34. “It is the writer's privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart.”
35. “It is easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice, still talking.”
36. “Given a choice between grief and nothing, I'd choose grief.”
37. “Memory believes before knowing remembers.”
38. “We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid.”
39. “To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”
40. “I feel like a wet seed wild in the hot blind earth.”
Time and Change
41. “Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”
42. “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”
43. “Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.”
44. “We must be free not because we claim freedom but because we practice it.”
45. “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”
46. “Only when the clock stops does time come to life.”
47. “Facts and truth really don't have much to do with each other.”
48. “The end of wisdom is to dream high enough not to lose the dream in the seeking of it.”
49. “We hope for too much, and the world does not contain enough for our hopes.”
50. “Given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain.”
These fifty quotes by William Faulkner encapsulate the depth and richness of his writing. From love and relationships to human nature, identity, and the passage of time, Faulkner's words continue to resonate with readers around the world, inviting them to explore the complexities of life in the American South.
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