Christmas party Quote by Jonathan Franzen
““Once or twice every night, serving dinner at the big round table, Enid glanced over her shoulder and caught him looking, and made him blush. Al was Kansan. After two months he found courage to take her skating. They drank cocoa and he told her that human beings were born to suffer. He took her to a steel-company Christmas party and told her that the intelligent were doomed to be tormented by the stupid. He was a good dancer and a good earner, however, and she kissed him in the elevator. Soon they were engaged and they chastely rode a night train to McCook, Nebraska, to visit his aged parents. His father kept a slave whom he was married to.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, 2001
A complex romance explores love, suffering, and societal expectations amid personal and familial challenges.
In simple terms: Love and hardship intertwine in a turbulent relationship.
Key Takeaway
Embrace vulnerability and confront societal pressures.
Themes
love
family
society
class
identity
Mood
melancholic
reflective
introspective
Type
literary
fictional
When to use this quote
- dating
- family gatherings
- career decisions
- travel
- social events
Key Concepts
existentialism
social critique
human condition
Questions to Reflect On
- How do personal histories shape relationship dynamics?
- What role does societal class play in love?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may romanticize suffering, overlooking healthy boundaries.
