Beautiful Literary Quotes

Everybody likes quotes. They are constantly posted on social media, and those (allegedly) by Marilyn Monroe seem to be the most popular. Inspirational things to never give up, that no one understands your pain, or that you don’t need no man. But to me, some of the best quotes for life come from my bookshelf.

This novel by Fitzgerald I found moving because he wrote it when his own wife was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the novel’s plot focuses on the relationship between a doctor and his schizophrenic wife, and the doctor’s gradual fall from grace. The quote serves as a reminder that whilst relationships and friendships will constantly change throughout life, we are still the same people at the core.

I have just finished the novel, after seeing the film adaption a while ago and falling in love with it. There are so many great quotes from this novel in regards to life, rebirth, and fate, but I adore this one in particular because it is what made the film make sense to me. Another quote from the novel which adds to this is Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future. In a naturally selfish world, it serves as a reminder that we are nothing without others.

Nothing like a sweet bit of childhood nostalgia, from the lovable Winnie-the-Pooh. It is funny as you get older you realise that childhood stories were not just entertaining nonsense, but sometimes offer great words of wisdom. And A.A. Milne seems to create some wonderful ones about friendship and more. (On a side note- Eeyore was always my favourite character, the miserable old bugger)

It seems I can rarely make a post without mentioning Kerouac. But this quote, and possibly his most famous, is one that truly captures the spirit of the Beat Generation. And why not desire friendships with fascinating, crazy people who are hungry to experience life? They are what make life worth living really.

I did enjoy Love in the Time of Cholera, although I have my disagreements with the ending (but that’s a rant not for this post). I also hope to one day have mastered speaking Spanish enough to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his native language. Anyways, this is the perfect quote to live relationships with as little regret as possible. Better to live rather than wonder what if, always.

And finally, a favourite quote from my fellow Yorkshire lass, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. The story of Cathy and Heathcliff is hardly a love story to aspire to, their love is viewed as possessive, and even demonic, but this is still a nice, honest quote. Their love doesn’t drive them to aspire one another’s happiness (I mean, Jesus Christ do they hell…), or makes them do selfless acts of kindness – but Cathy sums up their love in a wonderful way: they understand each other more than anyone could (or tries to).