Hope for the future Quote by Anthony Powell
““The common where we had walked the previous evening was a deserted tract of land, typical of Surrey, looking as if it might be miles from any habitation, while only a few deciduous trees divided it from country studded with bungalows. Some of the land showed traces of heath fires, charred roots and stones lying about on the blackened ground. Walking there was not at all like being in the country. Agriculture seemed as remote as in a London street. This waste land might have been some walled-in space in the suburbs where business men practised golfstrokes; or the corner of a cinema studio used for shooting wilderness scenes. It had neither memories of the past nor hope for the future.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Dance to the Music of Time, 1951
The landscape described feels empty and desolate, reflecting a loss of history and hope.
In simple terms: The place is barren, lacking past memories or future hope.
Key Takeaway
Recognize emptiness as a sign to seek meaning elsewhere.
Themes
loneliness
desolation
nostalgia
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
descriptive
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- creative writing
- environmental studies
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
urban sprawl
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this emptiness suggest about modern life?
- How can we find hope in seemingly barren places?
A Different Perspective
The description may romanticize decay, overlooking resilience of communities.
![“You see, because [Norfolk is] stuck out here on the east, on this hump jutting into the sea, it's not on the way to anywhere. People going north and south, they bypass it altogether. For that reason, it's a peaceful corner of England, rather nice. But it's also something of a lost corner.' Someone…” quote by Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3b5/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_comfort_you-see-because-norfolk-is-stuck-out-her_1803592.jpg)
![“Our best hope for the future [...] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their lives have the same value as the lives of those we love.” quote by Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/630/paul-bloom-3720_appreciation_our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an_177200.jpg)
