Acceptable Quote by Anthony Burgess
“A character, to be acceptable as more than a chess piece, has to be ignorant of the future, unsure about the past, and not at all sure of what he's supposed to be doing.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, 1962
A character must lack certainty about future, past, and purpose to be more than a mere game piece, allowing depth and humanity.
In simple terms: Depth requires uncertainty about time and purpose.
Key Takeaway
Embrace ambiguity to become fully human.
Themes
identity
purpose
uncertainty
humanity
character development
Mood
reflective
introspective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- acting in roles
- personal growth
- creative writing
- leadership decisions
- psychological therapy
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
free will
Questions to Reflect On
- How does uncertainty shape personal identity?
- Can purpose be found without clear direction?
A Different Perspective
Too much ambiguity can lead to paralysis or lack of direction.
![“In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing about this election - is that once there's an incumbent running for reelection, most of the debate is about, "Has he [Barack Obama] done a…” quote by William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b0/william-kristol-9091_acceptable_in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elect_36353.jpg)