--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to your proclivities, you may…" description: "\"“According to your proclivities, you may take a snow-clad Alpine peak, as it rises to the empyrean in radiant majesty, as symbol of man's aspiration to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/w-somerset-maugham-237_dreams_according-to-your-proclivities-you-may-t_3165998.jpg" --- # According to your proclivities, you may take a snow-clad… ![“According to your proclivities, you may take a snow-clad Alpine peak, as it rises to the empyrean in radiant majesty, as symbol of man's aspiration to union with the Infinite; or since, if you like to believe that, a mountain range may be thrown up by some violent convulsion in the earth's depths…” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/w-somerset-maugham-237_dreams_according-to-your-proclivities-you-may-t_3165998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/w-somerset-maugham-237_dreams_according-to-your-proclivities-you-may-t_3165998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b0/w-somerset-maugham-237_dreams_according-to-your-proclivities-you-may-t_3165998.jpg) > ““According to your proclivities, you may take a snow-clad Alpine peak, as it rises to the empyrean in radiant majesty, as symbol of man's aspiration to union with the Infinite; or since, if you like to believe that, a mountain range may be thrown up by some violent convulsion in the earth's depths, you may take it as a symbol of the dark and sinister passions of man that lour to destroy him; or, if you want to be in the fashion, you may take it as a phallic symbol.”” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mountains can symbolize lofty aspirations or violent, destructive forces, reflecting humanity’s dual nature. **In simple terms:** Mountains symbolize hope or danger. Key Takeaway Recognize both inspiration and danger. Themes literature symbolism human psyche Mood introspective analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - personal growth - psychology - art criticism Key Concepts dualism interpretation metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What personal mountains inspire you? - How do you confront destructive impulses? A Different Perspective Focusing only on one symbol limits understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Peak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peak/) [Phallic Symbol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phallic-symbol-481665/) [Symbol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbol/) [Symbol Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbol-dark-5743243/) [Symbol Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbol-man-1103798/) ## Related quotes > [But I'll tell you this: WhI had now made about 45 pictures, but what had I become? I knew all too well: a phallic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-flutie/but-i-ll-tell-you-this-whi-had-now-made-about-45-pictures-but-what/) [Doug Flutie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-flutie/) > [Whatever its symbol - cross or crescent or whatever - that symbol is man's reminder of his duty inside the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/whatever-its-symbol-cross-or-crescent-or-whatever-that-symbol-is-man/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I had now made about 45 pictures, but what had I become? I knew all too well: a phallic symbol. All over the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-flynn/i-had-now-made-about-45-pictures-but-what-had-i-become-i-knew-all-too/) [Errol Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-flynn/) > [Woman is the symbol to man of the uncleanness of bodily existence, of which he purifies himself by putting her to noble uses. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-riding/woman-is-the-symbol-to-man-of-the-uncleanness-of-bodily-existence-of/) [Laura Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-riding/) > [The World Trade Center is a living symbol of man's dedication to world peace... a representation of man's belief in humanity, his need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-yamasaki/the-world-trade-center-is-a-living-symbol-of-man-s-dedication-to/) [Minoru Yamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-yamasaki/) > [“A pen is a phallic symbol you can write with. But so is a cucumber dipped in ranch dressing or semen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-pen-is-a-phallic-symbol-you-can-write-with-but-so-is-a-cucumber/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“No one is without Christianity, if we agree on what we mean by the word. It is every individual's individual code of behavior, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/no-one-is-without-christianity-if-we-agree-on-what-we-mean-by-the/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I can think of no more stirring symbol of man's humanity to man than a fire engine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-can-think-of-no-more-stirring-symbol-of-man-s-humanity-to-man-than/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I've heard that phallic symbol argument before, and always from ineffectual people driven to make everyone else as helpless as they are. who's more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-ve-heard-that-phallic-symbol-argument-before-and-always-from/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“-flashed Langdon the thumbs-up sign. Langdon smiled weakly and returned the gesture, wondering if she knew it was the ancient phallic symbol for masculine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/flashed-langdon-the-thumbs-up-sign-langdon-smiled-weakly-and-returned/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [In Islamic theology, the phallic symbol is very important. Your biggest phallic symbol is New York City and your tallest building will be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isser-harel/in-islamic-theology-the-phallic-symbol-is-very-important-your-biggest/) [Isser Harel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isser-harel/) > [“I would never want to be a member of a group whose symbol was a man nailed to two pieces of wood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-would-never-want-to-be-a-member-of-a-group-whose-symbol-was-a-man/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Every man needs to find a peak, a mountain top or a remote island of his own choosing that he reaches under his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-gerbault/every-man-needs-to-find-a-peak-a-mountain-top-or-a-remote-island-of/) [Alain Gerbault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-gerbault/) > [“I walked with my eyes on the path, but out of the corners of them I saw a man hiding behind an olive tree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-walked-with-my-eyes-on-the-path-but-out-of-the-corners-of-them-i/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“According to your proclivities, you may take a snow-clad Alpine peak, as it rises to the empyrean in radiant majesty, as symbol of man's aspiration to union with the Infinite; or since, if you like to believe that, a mountain range may be thrown up by some violent convulsion in the earth's depths, you may take it as a symbol of the dark and sinister passions of man that lour to destroy him; or, if you want to be in the fashion, you may take it as a phallic symbol.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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