Hell Quote by Denis Johnson
“We in Purgatory sing fondly of Hell.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Tree of Smoke, 2007
Even in a place of punishment, people find moments of affection and nostalgia, contrasting suffering with tenderness.
In simple terms: People in Purgatory recall fondly about Hell.
Key Takeaway
Find humanity even in harsh circumstances.
Themes
suffering
affection
contradiction
hope
spirituality
Mood
melancholic
hopeful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- prison life
- war zones
- mental health therapy
- grief counseling
Key Concepts
existentialism
redemption
Questions to Reflect On
- What comforts do you seek in difficult times?
- How can you offer compassion to those in '?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing suffering may overlook real pain.
![“From the time of Dante [Alighieri], when you have the Ptolemaic universe, you had God on the outside like a hypersphere, and then in the center you have the Earth, all the seven heavens and layers, and then you have the Mount of Purgatory and Hell right in the center, and here's Satan flapping his…” quote by Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/df2/paul-laffoley-7077_earth_from-the-time-of-dante-alighieri-when-yo_360603.jpg)
![“Except in these latter-day songs, [Bob] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back.” quote by Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fcd/jay-michaelson-15590_bob_except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dyl_3830.jpg)
