Evil thoughts Quote by John Steinbeck
““Dear Pat, You came upon me carving some kind of little figure out of wood and you said, ‘Why don’t you make something for me?’ I asked you what you wanted, and you said, ‘A box.’ ‘What for?’ ‘To put things in.’ ‘What things?’ ‘Whatever you have,’ you said. Well, here’s your box. Nearly everything I have is in it, and it is not full. Pain and excitement are in it, and feeling good or bad and evil thoughts and good thoughts—the pleasures of design and some despair and the indescribable joy of creation. And on top of these are all the gratitude and love I have for you. And still the box is not full. John””
About This Quote
Source Letter: Personal correspondence, 1950s (to a friend)
The writer offers a metaphorical box containing all emotions, thoughts, and gratitude, yet it remains unfilled, suggesting endless capacity for experience.
In simple terms: The box holds everything but is never full.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the endless capacity for feeling and creation.
Themes
creativity
gratitude
human experience
Mood
thoughtful
hopeful
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- artistic expression
- personal reflection
- therapy
- journaling
Key Concepts
metaphor
emotional depth
unfinished journey
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your personal “box” contain?
- How can you keep adding meaning?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex emotions.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
