Literary Quote by John McCormick
““The significant difference between Proust and Faulkner, for Sartre, is that where Proust discovers salvation in time, in the recovery of time past, for Faulkner time is never lost, however much he may want, like a mystic, to forget time. Both writers emphasize the transitoriness of emotion, of the condition of love or misery, or whatever passes because it is transitory in time. "Proust really should have employed a technique like Faulkner's," Sartre legislates, "that was the logical outcome of his metaphysic. Faulkner, however, is a lost man, and because he knows that he is lost he risks pushing his thoughts to its conclusion. Proust is a classicist and a Frenchman; and the French lose themselves with caution and always end by finding themselves.””
About This Quote
Source Literary Analysis: Sartre on Proust and Faulkner, 2010
Proust finds redemption in recollected time, while Faulkner treats time as irretrievable, reflecting differing existential views on memory and loss.
In simple terms: Proust values past memory; Faulkner sees time as lost.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how you view time and memory.
Themes
memory
time
existentialism
literature
loss
identity
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
literary
Type
Literary:1
Time:1
Writer:1
Time Proust:0
Difference Proust:0
Faulkner Sartre:0
Proust Faulkner:0
Sartre Proust:0
When to use this quote
- reading clubs
- creative writing
- therapy sessions
- philosophical debates
Key Concepts
nostalgia
philosophical contrast
narrative technique
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your personal experience of time shape your art?
- Can both perspectives coexist?
A Different Perspective
One view may oversimplify the other's nuance.
