Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Thornton Wilder

Quote by Thornton Wilder

Work

A Thornton Wilder Trio: The Cabala, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, The Woman of Andros

This compilation brings together three renowned works by Thornton Wilder, showcasing his literary prowess and exploration of complex human themes. 'The Cabala' delves into the mystical and philosophical, while 'The Bridge of San Luis Rey' is a tale of fate and destiny. 'The Woman of Andros' offers a poignant look at love and sacrifice. Together, these novels provide a comprehensive view of Wilder's writing style and thematic concerns. more

Author

Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder

American playwright, renowned for his works 'Our Town' and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'. His works are characterized by deep insight and a unique style, profoundly influencing 20th-century American theater. more

You May Also Like

“Once Henry had heard a crying noise at sea, and had seen a mermaid floating on the ocean's surface. The mermaid had been injured by a shark. Henry had pulled the mermaid out of the water with a rope, and she had died in his arms..."what language did the mermaid speak?" Alma wanted to know, imagining that it like almost have to be Greek. "English!" Henry said. "By God, plum, why would I rescue a deuced foreign mermaid?”

“Astonishingly, at some point, a sputtering torch was thrust into her hands. Alma did not see who gave it to her. She had never before been entrusted with fire. The torch spit sparks and sent chunks of flaming tar spinning into the air behind her as she bolted across the cosmos-the only body in the heavens who was not held to a strict elliptical path. Nobody stopped her. She was a comet. She did not know that she was not flying.”

“She followed the pleasure where it led. She had no weight, no name, no thoughts, no history. Then came a burst of phosphorescence, as though a firework had discharged behind her eyes, and it was over. She felt quiet and warm. For the first conscious moment of her life, her mind was free from wonder, free from worry, free from work or puzzlement. Then, from the middle of that marvelous furred stillness, a thought took shape, took hold, took over. I shall have to do this again.”

“The whole sphere of air that surrounds us, Alma, is alive with invisible attractions — electric, magnetic, fiery and thoughtful. There is a universal sympathy all around us… When we cease all argument and debate — both internal and external — our true questions can be heard and answered…That is the gathering of magic.”