Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by William Styron

Quote by William Styron

Work

Sophie's Choice

Sophie's Choice is a powerful and poignant novel that delves into the harrowing experiences of a woman named Sophie during the Holocaust. The story follows her difficult decisions and the profound impact they have on her life and the lives of those around her. more

Author

William Styron
William Styron

William Styron was an American novelist known for his profound psychological insights and his depiction of Southern American life. His works often explore themes of race, class, and identity, with his novel 'Sophie's Choice' being particularly acclaimed for its nuanced portrayal of depression. more

You May Also Like

“I try to get a feeling of what's going on in the story before I put it down on paper, but actually most of this breaking-in period is one long, fantastic daydream, in which I think about anything but the work at hand. I can't turn out slews of stuff each day. I wish I could. I seem to have some neurotic need to perfect each paragraph—each sentence, even—as I go along.”

“I discovered that I had, in the past two decades, written a far greater amount in the essay form than I remembered. Certainly I have written enough of it to demonstrate that I harbor no disdain for literary journalism or just plain journalism, under whose sponsorship I have been able to express much that has fascinated me, or alarmed me, or amused me, or otherwise engaged my attention when I was not writing a book.”

“If God is watching us, as some believers suggest, as though we were a television show and God had a lot of free time, the deity would surely be bemused by how dumbed-down devotion has sometimes become in this so-called modern era. How might an omnipotent being with the long view of history respond to those who visit the traveling exhibit of a grilled-cheese sandwich, sold on eBay, that is said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary? It certainly argues against intelligent design, or at least intelligent design in humans.”