Ambition Quote by Émile Zola
““to study the ambitions and appetites of a family launched upon the modern world, making superhuman efforts but always failing because of its own nature and the influences upon it, almost getting there only then to fall back again, and ending up by producing veritable moral monsters, the priest, the murderer, the artist. The times are in turmoil, and it is this turmoil of the moment which I shall depict. (vii)””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Earth, by Émile Zola, 1885
Modern families strive beyond, yet their nature and influences create moral failures.
In simple terms: Ambition leads to moral compromise.
Key Takeaway
Beware of unchecked ambition.
Themes
ambition
family
morality
society
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- business
- politics
- education
- family dynamics
Key Concepts
existentialism
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What pressures drive moral compromise?
- Can ambition be ethical?
A Different Perspective
Not all families become monsters; context matters.
