Future Quote by E.M. Forster
““If human nature does alter it will be because individuals manage to look at themselves in a new way. Here and there people — a very few people, but a few novelists are among them — are trying to do this. Every institution and vested interest is against such a search: organized religion, the State, the family in its economic aspect, have nothing to gain, and it is only when outward prohibitions weaken that it can proceed: history conditions it to that extent. Perhaps the searchers will fail, perhaps it is impossible for the instrument of contemplation to contemplate itself, perhaps if it is possible it means the end of imaginative literature — [...] anyhow—that way lies movement and even combustion for the novel, for if the novelist sees himself differently, he will see his characters differently and a new system of lighting will result.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Novel and Self-Reflection, 1930
Suggests that novelists must see themselves anew to transform literature, despite institutional resistance.
In simple terms: New self‑view fuels literary innovation.
Key Takeaway
Seek fresh self‑perspective.
Themes
self‑reflection
creativity
institutional resistance
Mood
introspective
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- personal therapy
- academic seminars
- creative retreats
Key Concepts
novelists
philosophy
artistic evolution
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you challenge entrenched norms in your field?
- What personal insights could reshape your work?
A Different Perspective
Institutions may suppress radical self‑examination.
