Brother Quote by Bertolt Brecht
“On thinking about Hell, I gather My brother Shelley found it was a place Much like the city of London. I Who live in Los Angeles and not in London Find, on thinking about Hell, that it must be Still more like Los Angeles.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Good Person of Szechwan, 1943
The speaker compares Hell to familiar cities, suggesting that a place of suffering mirrors one’s own environment, especially Los Angeles.
In simple terms: Hell feels like home when you live in a harsh city.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how your surroundings shape your perception of suffering.
Themes
urban life
perception
environment
suffering
comparisons
Mood
reflective
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
observational
analytical
When to use this quote
- living in a chaotic city
- feeling trapped in a career
- comparing hometowns
- reflecting on personal hell
- understanding societal pressures
Key Concepts
existentialism
social critique
urban alienation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your city influence your view of hardship?
- Can you find beauty in a place you deem hellish?
A Different Perspective
The analogy may oversimplify complex personal and cultural experiences of suffering.
![“Why did people call it Hell?" I wondered. [...] No place was Hell, no place could be Hell. It's the people calling it Hell, that's the only thing that made it so. People just sticking names on places, so that no one could see those places properly anymore. [...] No, Hell wasn't anything to do with…” quote by John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2e4/john-marsden-3782_quote_why-did-people-call-it-hell-i-wondered-n_786530.jpg)
