Blow the candle out, I don't need to see what my thoughts look like.
Emile ZolaRead
I believe that all is illusion and vanity outside the treasure of truths slowly accumulated, and which will never again be lost. I believe that the sum of these truths, always increasing, will at last confer on man incalculable power and peace, if not happiness. Yes, I believe in the final triumph of life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that external appearances are deceptive, and true value lies in the accumulation of genuine truths.
Emile Zola expresses his belief that what we perceive in the world is ultimately transient and insubstantial, equating it to illusion and vanity. He asserts that the collection of meaningful truths provides individuals with a sense of power and peace, which may not directly translate to happiness but is essential for a fulfilling life. Zola's vision emphasizes the importance of understanding and internalizing deeper truths as the pathway to a more enriched existence.
Themes
TruthsIllusionVanityPowerPeaceLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to inspire students to pursue knowledge and wisdom.
More from Emile Zola
All quotes βA ruined man fell from her hands like a ripe fruit, to lie rotting on the ground.
Emile ZolaRead
Oh, the fools, like a lot of good little schoolboys, scared to death of anything they've been taught is wrong!
Emile ZolaRead
Did not one spend the first half of one's days in dreams of happiness and the second half in regrets and terrors?
Emile ZolaRead
They dared not peer down into their own natures, down into the feverish confusion that filled their minds with a kind of dense, acrid mist.
Emile ZolaRead
If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.
Emile ZolaRead
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