Danger Quote by Raymond Chandler
““The fear of today,” he said, “always overrides the fear of tomorrow. It’s a basic fact of the dramatic emotions that the part is greater than the whole. If you see a glamour star on the screen in a position of great danger, you fear for her with one part of your mind, the emotional part. Notwithstanding that your reasoning mind knows that she is the star of the picture and nothing very bad is going to happen to her. If suspense and menace didn’t defeat reason, there would be very little drama.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, 1939
Drama exploits the tension between emotional fear and rational understanding, making suspense compelling.
In simple terms: Emotional fear overrides logical reasoning in drama.
Key Takeaway
Leverage emotional tension to engage audiences.
Themes
drama
emotion
conflict
storytelling
Mood
tense
reflective
Type
analytical
observational
When to use this quote
- film criticism
- writing workshops
- psychology classes
- media analysis
Key Concepts
suspense
psychology
narrative structure
Questions to Reflect On
- How does emotional fear shape your perception of danger?
- Can logic ever fully counteract instinctive fear?
A Different Perspective
Rational analysis can diminish emotional impact, reducing suspense.
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