It has always seemed to me that so long as you produce your dramatic effect, accuracy of detail matters little. I have never striven for it and I have made some bad mistakes in consequence. What matter if I hold my readers?
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
The lowest and vilest alleys of London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that appearances can be deceiving, and even beautiful places can harbor dark secrets.
Arthur Conan Doyle's quote highlights the stark contrast between external beauty and internal corruption. It suggests that even the most idyllic landscapes can conceal deep moral flaws and sins, drawing attention to the idea that what we see on the surface is not always reflective of reality. This serves as a reminder to look beyond appearances and acknowledge the complexities of human nature and society.
Themes
AppearanceDeceptionSocietyBeautySin
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about social issues, one could use this quote to illustrate that not everything is as it seems.
More from Arthur Conan Doyle
All quotes βI had neither kith nor kin in England, and was therefore as free as air -- or as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be. Under such circumstances, I naturally gravitated to London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained.
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
A dog reflects the family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people have snarling dogs, dangerous people have dangerous ones.
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
You yourself may not be luminous, but you are a conductor of light.
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
I could not rest, Watson, I could not sit quiet in my chair, if I thought that such a man as Professor Moriarty were walking the streets of London unchallenged.
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
It seems very strange ... that in the course of the world's history so obvious an improvement should never have been adopted. ... The next generation of Britishers would be the better for having had this extra hour of daylight in their childhood.
Arthur Conan DoyleRead
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