Imagination Quote by Sherwood Anderson
““He wanted most of all the people of his own mind, people with whom he could really talk, people he could harangue and scold by the hour, servants, you see, to his fancy. Among these people he was always self-confident and bold. They might talk, to be sure, and even have opinions of their own, but always he talked last and best. He was like a writer busy among the figures of his brain, a kind of tiny blue-eyed king he was, in a six-dollar room facing Washington Square in the city of New York.””
About This Quote
Source Short Story: The Blue-Eyed King, Unknown, date unknown
A man imagines a self‑created hierarchy of imagined companions, using them to assert control and confidence in an otherwise lonely mind.
In simple terms: He creates imaginary people to feel powerful.
Key Takeaway
Consider how imagined social circles can boost self‑esteem.
Themes
loneliness
imaginary companions
self‑assertion
power dynamics
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
psychological
literary
When to use this quote
- solitary confinement
- creative writing
- self‑reflection
- urban setting
- mental escape
Key Concepts
identity
psychology
social imagination
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this fantasy reveal about his real relationships?
- Can imagined authority replace genuine connection?
A Different Perspective
The imagined council may mask real social deficits.
![“[...] he often talked to himself and he was the best conversationalist he knew; [...]” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7eb/margaret-atwood-40_self-awareness_he-often-talked-to-himself-and-he-was-th_2841607.jpg)
