Desire Quote by Barry Unsworth
““This praise, though far from fulsome, gave me pleasure and that is to my shame. But there was something in him, some power of spirit, that made me want to please him. Perhaps, it occurs to me now, it was no more than the intensity of his wish. Men are distinguished by the power of their wanting. What this one wanted became his province and his meal, he governed it and fed on it from the first moment of desire. Besides, with the perversity of our nature, being tested had made me more desire to succeed, though knowing the enterprise to be sinful.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Book of Love by Barry Unsworth, 1995
The narrator feels both pride and shame from praise, recognizing that the desire of the one praising drives his own ambition, and that testing fuels his sinful drive for success.
In simple terms: Praise triggers pride and shame; desire fuels ambition.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how others' desires influence your actions.
Themes
pride
shame
ambition
desire
testing
Mood
conflicted
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career ambition
- creative projects
- personal relationships
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
Motivation
self‑awareness
ego
sin
Questions to Reflect On
- How do others' expectations shape your goals?
- When does ambition become sinful?
A Different Perspective
Desire can lead to compromising morals.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
