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
No one can argue any longer about the rights of women. It's like arguing about earthquakes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that women's rights are undeniably fundamental, much like natural phenomena that cannot be disputed.
Lillian Hellman draws a powerful parallel between the undeniable nature of earthquakes and the established rights of women, suggesting that just as it is futile to argue the occurrence of earthquakes, it is equally pointless to contest women's rights. Her statement serves as a call to acknowledge and respect these rights as inherent truths that should be universally recognized and upheld.
Themes
Women'S RightsInequalityTruthJusticeAdvocacy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech for a women's rights event, one might use this quote to highlight the legitimacy of women's rights as a societal norm.
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It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.
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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.
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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.
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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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