Maggie, we're through with lies and liars in this house. Lock the door.
Tennessee WilliamsRead
The biggest of all differences in this world is between the ones that had or have pleasure in love and those that haven't and hadn't any pleasure in love, but just watched with sick envy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the profound impact of experiencing love versus merely observing it with jealousy.
Tennessee Williams highlights the stark contrast between those who have experienced the joy and fulfillment of love and those who have not, suggesting that the latter group may live in a state of resentment and longing. This sentiment paints love as a vital source of happiness, shaping one’s emotional landscape and influencing their perception of life.
Themes
LovePleasureEnvyHappinessRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about relationships, one might say, 'As Tennessee Williams stated, the biggest of all differences is between those who experience love and those who only envy it.'
More from Tennessee Williams
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The rest of my days I'm going to spend on the sea. And when I die, I'm going to die on the sea. You know what I shall die of? I shall die of eating an unwashed grape. One day out on the ocean I will die — with my hand in the hand of some nice-looking ship's doctor, a very young one with a small blond moustache and a big silver watch.
Tennessee WilliamsRead
Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.
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