Controlled hysteria is what's required. To exist constantly in a state of controlled hysteria. It's agony. But everyone has agony. The difference is that I try to take my agony home and teach it to sing.
Arthur MillerRead
PROCTOR--he knows it is insane: No, it is not the same! What others say and what i sign to is not the same!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the conflict between personal integrity and societal expectations.
In this quote from Arthur Miller's work, the character Proctor distinguishes between the opinions of others and his own personal convictions. He implies that merely signing a document or conforming to societal norms does not equate to personal belief or truth, emphasizing the struggle of maintaining one's integrity in the face of external pressure and the importance of individual moral judgment.
Themes
IntegrityTruthSocietyIndividualityConformity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the importance of staying true to oneself in the workplace.
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Just remember, kid, you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away.
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