Justice and mercy/ Are human dreams, they do not concern the birds nor the fish nor eternal God.
Robinson JeffersRead
Unless he had whiskey running through his veins, Willard came to the clearing every morning and evening to talk to God. Arvin didn't know which was worse, the drinking or the praying. As far back as he could remember, it seemed that his father had fought the Devil all the time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the struggle between faith and vice, highlighting the complexities of human nature.
In this quote, Donald Ray Pollock delves into the duality of existence faced by the character Willard, who is depicted as engaging in both prayer and drinking. This suggests a battle between his spiritual aspirations and his earthly weaknesses, illustrating a profound tension in human behavior where individuals grapple with their desires and beliefs. The mention of fighting the Devil further emphasizes the internal conflict and the continuous search for redemption or meaning amidst personal flaws.
Themes
FaithViceStrugglePrayerRedemption
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about addiction, you might use this quote to illustrate the inner conflicts faced by those struggling with vices.
Similar quotes
Your master is he who controls that on which you have set your heart or wish to avoid.
EpictetusRead
More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: 'Give them something to eat.'
Pope FrancisRead
The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.
AristotleRead
Life, in her experience, had a kind of velvet luster. You looked at yourself from one perspective and all you saw was weirdness. Move your head a little bit, though, and everything looked reasonably normal.
Jonathan FranzenRead
Seek always to do some good, somewhere... Even if it's a little thing, so something for those that need help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.
Albert SchweitzerRead