Friday 17 June 2011

TGIF [2]





Thank God it's Friday is hosted over at GReads! This week's question is:

What are some of your favourite book quotes?

Now I'm not really one of those people that notes down my favourite quotations, I appreciate them when I read them and that's about it. I would like that to change though. However, my two all time favourite quotes are:

"Hell is other people"
-Satre, No Exit.

Now, I know this sounds insanely misanthropic. Which is why I'm going to explain it. Basically, what it means is that our perceptions of ourselves are constantly informed and influenced by the perceptions of us held by the Other (other people) Without them, we cannot prove our own existence. Basically, we can never be alone-never be individuals because we are constantly evaluating ourselves and our actions in terms of other people's judgements.

My second favourite quotation is:

"The Mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a Heaven of a Hell, a Hell of a Heaven"
-The Devil, Paradise Lost by John Milton

Now it's been pointed out to me that these two quotes seem to contradict themselves. I don't really view this as the case. The Milton quote essentially means that your situation is what you make of it. Someone could have the worst life imaginable, but still stay positive, still focus on the good aspects and vice versa. Just because your situation sucks, doesn't mean you can't be happy. This quote is also featured at the beginning of the book The White Darkness, which is one of my favourite books.

Its the quote I try to live my life by.

Even if it was said by the devil in a propaganda ridden attempt to stop the fallen angels being depressed.

Woah, pretty heavy stuff for a friday afternoon huh? I apologise. I hope you all have more entertaining and humorous quotes picked out!!

also on the blog this week:

Review: Angel Burn by L.A Weatherly
Review: Released by Megan Duncan 

and don't forget to enter my giveaway here

Have a great weekend everyone! Be sure to leave your links so I can come say hi!

5 comments:

  1. Good quotes!! I'm a new follower now. Thanks for following my blog :o)

    PS - I'm page view 11111.. I thought that was fun. lol

    Mickey @ imabookshark

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  2. Ya pretty heavy, but I like quotes that make you think...that make you want to be a better person. I like the "hell is other people".

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  3. I like your serious quotes. I like things that actually make me think.

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  4. I'm liking the quotes.. very thought provoking!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! Have a great weekend! :]

    NoraBell, The Bookery

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  5. Thanks for taking me back to my Engl Lit Univ days...havent thought about Paradise Lost in a while! ( too busy trying to make heaven in the midst of hell ...five kids, dont ask! LOL)

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