Battle Quote by William Faulkner
“...I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire...I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it. Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner, 1929
Time’s endless flow makes human struggles seem futile; true victory is an illusion.
In simple terms: Time renders battles meaningless.
Key Takeaway
Accept impermanence and let go of egoic conquest.
Themes
time
illusion
human folly
philosophy
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- meditation on impermanence
- mindful decision‑making
- letting go of control
Key Concepts
existentialism
nihilism
psychology of conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing impermanence affect your goals?
- What can be gained by releasing the need to dominate?
A Different Perspective
Some may find this view discouraging, hindering motivation.
![“He [the writer] must, teach himself that the basest of all things is to be afraid; and, teaching himself that, forget it forever, leaving no room in his workshop for anything but the old verities and truths of the heart, the old universal truths lacking which any story is ephemeral and doomed…” quote by William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b32/william-faulkner-306_all-things_he-the-writer-must-teach-himself-that-th_1547279.jpg)
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)
