After all, damn it, what does being in love mean if you can't trust a person.
Evelyn WaughRead
If you asked me now who I am, the only answer I could give with any certainty would be my name. For the rest: my loves, my hates, down even to my deepest desires, I can no longer say whether these emotions are my own, or stolen from those I once so desperately wished to be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the struggle of self-identity and the influence of others on our emotions and desires.
Evelyn Waugh's quote delves into the complexities of self-identity, suggesting that our understanding of who we are is often muddied by external influences. He expresses a sense of uncertainty regarding his emotions and desires, questioning whether they are genuinely his or merely reflections of the people he has admired and wished to emulate. This introspection highlights the profound impact that relationships and societal expectations can have on our sense of self.
Themes
IdentityEmotionsSelfInfluenceReflection
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a discussion on personal identity in a philosophy class.
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All quotes →It is a curious thing... that every creed promises a paradise which will be absolutely uninhabitable for anyone of civilized taste.
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...she had regained what I thought she had lost forever, the magical sadness which had drawn me to her, the thwarted look that had seemed to say, "Surely I was made for some other purpose than this?
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That was the change in her from ten years ago; that, indeed, was her reward, this haunting, magical sadness which spoke straight to the heart and struck silence; it was the completion of her beauty.
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