"Some of the poetic writers who insert passages of realism in their texts have no underlying philosophy to uphold them, and revert to realism."
About Marguerite Young
Marguerite Young — Life and Legacy
Marguerite Young was a significant American novelist whose work delved deeply into the complexities of identity and existence. Her most notable work, 'Miss MacIntosh, My Darling,' is a sprawling narrative that intertwines the lives of its characters with profound philosophical inquiries. Young's writing is characterized by its dreamlike quality and rich psychological depth, often reflecting her belief that 'the world is a dream.' This perspective invites readers to consider the subjective nature of reality and the conflicts inherent in human existence. In her exploration of identity, Young challenged conventional narratives and embraced the contradictions of human nature. She famously stated that 'to be alive is to be in conflict,' a sentiment that underscores her understanding of the inner turmoil that shapes individual experiences. This idea resonates throughout her work, as characters grapple with their identities against the backdrop of societal expectations and personal desires. Today, Young's quotes and ideas continue to resonate, inviting readers to reflect on their own identities and the complexities of existence. Her unique voice and perspective remain relevant, encouraging a deeper understanding of the human condition.
Quote collection
Marguerite Young quotes (page 1 of 2)
37 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"I believe that all my work explores the human desire or obsession for utopias, and the structure of all my works is the search for utopias lost and rediscovered."
"All creatures are flawed, but out of the flaw may come the universe."
"If you understand hallucination and illusion, you don't blindly follow any leader. You must know if the person is sane or insane, over the abyss."
"I would teach from nine to four, sleep an hour, and write from six until midnight, night after night."
"I'm quite sure that most writers would sustain real poetry if they could, but it takes devotion and talent."
"The first money I ever had was when I received an award from the American Association of University Women."
"All my writing is about the recognition that there is no single reality. But the beauty of it is that you nevertheless go on, walking towards utopia, which may not exist, on a bridge which might end before you reach the other side."
"A good writer cannot avoid having social consciousness. I don't mean this about small pieces of writing, but about a big book. If it's a big book, there has to be more than one undertow."
"If you know anything about James Whitcomb Riley, you know that Little Orphan Annie is one of the most fantastic characters who ever lived in America before Charlie Chaplin."
"I don't believe there can be a poetic novel without political consciousness. I have a strong political conscience."
"Don't blindly follow any leader."
"I would never write realistic prose. I don't like people who try to write in a poetic style, but in the course of their book abandon it for realism, and weave back and forth like drunkards between the surreal and the real."
"I would say my theme has always been paradise lost, always the lost cause, the lost leader, the lost utopia."
"Life has no beginning, middle or end."
"A lawyer I once knew told me of a strange case, a suffragette who had never married. After her death, he opened her trunk and discovered 50 wedding gowns."
"If you don't have obsessions, don't write. my characters are obsessed."
"Twice in his life Eugene Victor Debs took the long leap to the Ultima Thule of prison, passing beyond the realm of the acceptable into the nonacceptable, from respectability into the criminal community of the monster who was an enemy to the people."
"If there is no certain reality, the idea of following a leader must be scrutinized."
"Every heart is the other heart. Every soul is the other soul. Every face is the other face. The individual is the one illusion."