--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: love of truth, ordinary common truth…" description: "\"love of truth, ordinary common truth recognizable to everyone, is the ruling passion of the novel.\" — Mary McCarthy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/mary-mccarthy-2691_books_love-of-truth-ordinary-common-truth-reco_2611066.png" --- # love of truth, ordinary common truth recognizable to… ![“love of truth, ordinary common truth recognizable to everyone, is the ruling passion of the novel.” quote by Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/mary-mccarthy-2691_books_love-of-truth-ordinary-common-truth-reco_2611066.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/mary-mccarthy-2691_books_love-of-truth-ordinary-common-truth-reco_2611066.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/mary-mccarthy-2691_books_love-of-truth-ordinary-common-truth-reco_2611066.png) > “love of truth, ordinary common truth recognizable to everyone, is the ruling passion of the novel.” [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth, common and accessible, drives the novel’s purpose and passion. **In simple terms:** Truth fuels novels. Key Takeaway Seek universal truth in writing. Themes literature truth passion Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - writing - reading - education Key Concepts philosophy articulation Questions to Reflect On - How to balance truth and fiction? - Is ordinary truth compelling? A Different Perspective Truth can be subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Of Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-truth/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Ruling passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruling-passion/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“There's a weird logic that explains a common truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/there-s-a-weird-logic-that-explains-a-common-truth/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Error is none the better for being common, nor truth the worse for having lain neglected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/error-is-none-the-better-for-being-common-nor-truth-the-worse-for/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [... the whole of society in Washington is to some degree political. It is like no other capital city known to me, in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/the-whole-of-society-in-washington-is-to-some-degree-political-it-is/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [Search then the ruling passion: This clue, once found, unravels all the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/search-then-the-ruling-passion-this-clue-once-found-unravels-all-the/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [When you find out a man's ruling passion, beware of crossing him in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/when-you-find-out-a-man-s-ruling-passion-beware-of-crossing-him-in-it/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The ruling passion of the age is to convert wealth into debt in order to derive a permanent future income from it - to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-ruling-passion-of-the-age-is-to-convert-wealth-into-debt-in-order/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [One desire has been the ruling passion of my life. 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Whatever may be the ruling passion at the time continues equally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/madness-is-consistent-which-is-more-than-can-be-said-for-poor-reason/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [In how large a proportion of creatures is existence composed of one ruling passion, the most agonizing of all sensations--fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/in-how-large-a-proportion-of-creatures-is-existence-composed-of-one/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) ## More by Mary McCarthy > [From what I have seen, I am driven to the conclusion that religion is only good for good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/from-what-i-have-seen-i-am-driven-to-the-conclusion-that-religion-is/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [Yet friendship, I believe, is essential to intellectuals. 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