Book Quote by E.M. Forster
““The book was Shelley, and it opened at a passage that he had cherished greatly two years before, and marked as “very good.” “I never was attached to that great sect, Whose doctrine is, that each one should select Out of the crowd a mistress or a friend, And all the rest, though fair and wise, commend To cold oblivion, though it is in the code Of modern morals, and the beaten road Which those poor slaves with weary footsteps tread, Who travel to their home among the dead By the broad highway of the world, and so With one chained friend, perhaps a jealous foe, The dreariest and the longest journey go.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Passage to India by E.M. Forster, 1924
The passage reflects on the fleeting nature of human connections and the inevitability of isolation despite shared experiences.
In simple terms: Human ties are fragile and often end in loneliness.
Key Takeaway
Cherish meaningful relationships while they last.
Themes
loneliness
connection
existence
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- travel
- literary analysis
- philosophical contemplation
Key Concepts
human condition
social alienation
impermanence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance personal bonds with societal expectations?
- What role does memory play in preserving connections?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overstate isolation, ignoring community resilience.
