Asks Quote by H. L. Mencken
“Why writers write I do not know. As well ask why a hen lays an egg or why a cow stands patiently while an underprivileged farmer burglarizes her.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The American Language, H. L. Mencken, 1919
The quote questions the mystery of creative impulse, comparing it to natural, inexplicable phenomena.
In simple terms: Writers write without clear reason, like animals act instinctively.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty in creative motivation.
Themes
creativity
mystery
human nature
Mood
curious
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- artistic expression
- writing process
- daily life
- observing nature
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we seek rational explanations for artistic drive?
- What does this say about the value of mystery?
A Different Perspective
The analogy may oversimplify complex social and economic factors influencing creativity.
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
