Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort nor the failure tires. The waste remains, the waste remains and kills.
William EmpsonRead
The central function of imaginative literature is to make you realize that other people act on moral convictions different from your own.
Interpretation
Imaginative literature helps us understand diverse moral perspectives.
William Empson emphasizes that the primary role of imaginative literature is to encourage readers to see the world through the eyes of others, particularly those who hold different moral beliefs. This understanding fosters empathy and broadens our perspective on human behavior and motivations.
In practice
This quote can be shared in a book club discussion to emphasize the importance of diverse viewpoints.
Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort nor the failure tires. The waste remains, the waste remains and kills.
Waiting for the end, boys, waiting for the end. _x000D_ What is there to be or do?_x000D_ What's become of me or you?_x000D_ Are we kind or are we true?_x000D_ Sitting two and two, boys, waiting for the end.
It struck me as I listened to those two men that a truer nomination (name) for our species than Homo sapiens might be Homo narrans, the storytelling person. What differentiates us from animals is the fact that we can listen to other people’s dreams, fears, joys, sorrows, desires and defeats–and they in turn can listen to ours.
When we are in contact with our feelings and needs, we humans no longer make good slaves and underlings.
Secrecy is thus, so to speak, a transition stadium between being and not-being.
Man, as the minister and interpreter of nature, is limited in act and understanding by his observation of the order of nature; neither his understanding nor his power extends further.
I regard it (the Constitution) as the work of the purest patriots and wisest statesman that ever existed, aided by the smiles of a benign Providence; it almost appears a "Divine interposition in our behalf... the hand that destroys our Constitution rends our Union asunder forever.
Two sentiments alone suffice for man, were he to live the age of the rocks - love, and the contemplation of the Deity.
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