Was it always my nature to take a bad time and block out the good times, until any success became an accident and failure seemed the only truth?
Lillian HellmanRead
I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashion.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Stay true to your principles regardless of societal trends.
This quote emphasizes the importance of integrity and authenticity over conforming to changing societal norms or pressures. Lillian Hellman asserts that one should not compromise their moral beliefs for the sake of fleeting trends, suggesting that personal conscience and values should remain steadfast even in a world that may prioritize superficiality.
Themes
ConscienceIntegrityAuthenticityFashionValues
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on individuality, one could quote this to inspire others to uphold their values.
More from Lillian Hellman
All quotes βIf I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves.
Lillian HellmanRead
It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.
Lillian HellmanRead
If you believe, as the Greeks did, that man is at the mercy of the gods, then you write tragedy. The end is inevitable from the beginning. But if you believe that man can solve his own problems and is at nobody's mercy, then you will probably write melodrama.
Lillian HellmanRead
Nobody knows what you want except you. And nobody will be as sorry as you if you don't get it. Wanting some other way to live is proof enough of deserving it. Having it is hard work, but not having it is sheer hell.
Lillian HellmanRead
Failure in the theater is more dramatic and uglier than any other form of writing. It costs so much, you feel so guilty.
Lillian HellmanRead
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