I'm inclined to think that a military background wouldn't hurt anyone. William Faulkner More Quotes by William Faulkner More Quotes From William Faulkner I, the dreamer clinging yet to the dream as the patient clings to the last thin unbearable ecstatic instant of agony in order to sharpen the savor of the pain's surcease, waking into the reality, the more than reality, not to the unchanged and unaltered old time but into a time altered to fit the dream which, conjunctive with the dreamer, becomes immolated and apotheosized William Faulkner paindreamreality We cannot choose freedom established on a hierarchy of degrees of freedom, on a caste system of equality like military rank. We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it. William Faulkner libertymilitarypractice No man can cause more grief than that one clinging blindly to the vices of his ancestors. William Faulkner griefvicesmen Ever since then I have believed that God is not only a gentleman and a sport; he is a Kentuckian too. William Faulkner kentuckiansgentlemansports The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself William Faulkner conflictheartwriting It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does. William Faulkner writingcharactermoving History is not was, it is. William Faulkner motivationalinspirationalhistory He had a word, too. Love, he called it. But I had been used to words for a long time. I knew that that word was like the others: just a shape to fill a lack; that when the right time came, you wouldn't need a word for that any more than for pride or fear....One day I was talking to Cora. She prayed for me because she believed I was blind to sin, wanting me to kneel and pray too, because people to whom sin is just a matter of words, to them salvation is just words too. William Faulkner pridetalkinglong It is the writer's privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart. William Faulkner privilegeheartmen This is a free country. Folks have a right to send me letters, and I have a right not to read them. William Faulkner reading-booksletterscountry There is no such thing as was - only is. If was existed, there would be no grief or sorrow. William Faulkner sorrowgriefwould-be The writer's only responsibility is to his art...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. William Faulkner responsibilitymotherart Talk, talk, talk: the utter and heartbreaking stupidity of words. William Faulkner stupiditysilencestupid I'm a failed poet. Maybe every novelist wants to write poetry first, finds he can't, and then tries the short story, which is the most demanding form after poetry. And, failing at that, only then does he take up novel writing. William Faulkner novelistswritingtrying Every man has a different idea of what's beautiful, and it's best to take the gesture, the shadow of the branch, and let the mind create the tree. William Faulkner beautifulmenideas There were many things I could do for two or three days and earn enough money to live on for the rest of the month. By temperament I'm a vagabond and a tramp. William Faulkner threemonthstwo The most important thing is insight, that is to be - curious - to wonder, to mull, and to muse why it is that man does what he does. William Faulkner technologymenscience ...I would think how words go straight up in a thin line, quick and harmless, and how terribly doing goes along the earth, clinging to it, so that after a while the two lines are too far apart for the same person to straddle from one to the other; and that sin and love and fear are just sounds that people who never sinned nor loved nor feared have for what they never had and cannot have until they forget the words. William Faulkner twopeoplethinking Well, between Scotch and nothin', I suppose I'd take Scotch. It's the nearest thing to good moonshine I can find. William Faulkner moonshinewellsscotch It takes two people to make you, and one people to die. That's how the world is going to end. William Faulkner twopeopleworld
