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Quote by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

“But all I know is that there’s no such thing as a free man. You get rid of one bond only to tie yourself to another. Freedom is just a momentary absence of ties, nothing more.”

Quote by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Work

The Fugitive

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Author

Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Pramoedya Ananta Toer was a renowned Indonesian author known for his profound insights into colonialism and nationalism. His works extensively covered historical, social, and political issues, profoundly influencing Indonesian literature. more

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“Don't fret my dear. If art is translation of the ephemeral into observable form, then always remember that it is the translationn that is the craft. The craft is that which can always be improved. But the ephemeral is that which only you have been able to observe, and that which only you have chosen to translate, and so in a way, the ephemeral is you, and it is already beautiful.”

“এমন তো হতে পারে জেলখানার কাছে পৌঁছুলে এই ঢলের মুখে ভেঙে পড়লো জেলখানার মস্ত উঁচু দেওয়াল! হতে পারে না? ভেঙে পড়লো জেলখানা, জেলখানার নিচে লুকিয়া থাকা ইব্রাহিম খাঁর দুর্গ, সাহাজাদা খুররমের দুর্গ?”

“Isn't political freedom an American right? That is what always horrifies me about these righteous purges; the implicit denial of our constitutional rights. We forget sometimes that the essence of democracy is to question. In those days, people thought- some still do- that liberal meant Communist. To me a liberal is one who moves slightly left when the Fascists get too strong and slightly right when the Communists get too pushy. A real liberal has to be flexible that way.”