Alive Quote by David Foster Wallace
“In dark times, the definition of good art would seem to be art that locates and applies CPR to those elements of what's human and magical that still live and glow despite the times' darkness. Really good fiction could have as dark a worldview as it wished, but it'd find a way both to depict this world and to illuminate the possibilities for being alive and human in it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Infinite Jest, 1996
Art should rescue humanity's remaining wonder amid darkness, using skill to reveal what still lives and glows.
In simple terms: Good art revives human magic in dark times.
Key Takeaway
Seek and highlight enduring humanity.
Themes
art
hope
humanity
resilience
magic
Mood
reflective
inspired
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- writing dark fiction
- therapy
- social critique
- personal growth
Key Concepts
existentialism
aesthetic rescue
narrative contrast
Questions to Reflect On
- How can art balance darkness with hope?
- What elements of humanity should be emphasized?
A Different Perspective
May become overly sentimental or escapist if not grounded.
![“Really good fiction could have as dark a worldview as it wished, but it'd find a way both to depict this world and to illuminate the possibilities for being alive and human in it." [Q&A with Larry McCaffery, Review of Contemporary Fiction , Summer 1993, Vol. 13.2]” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/636/david-foster-wallace-161_american-psycho_really-good-fiction-could-have-as-dark-a_3043332.jpg)
