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Quote by Mervyn Peake

“She had shown him by her independence how it was only fear that held people together. The fear of being alone and the fear of being different.”

Quote by Mervyn Peake

Work

Gormenghast

Evelyn Waugh's 'Gormenghast' is a dark, satirical novel that delves into the life of the mysterious and reclusive Count of Gormenghast and his descendants. The story is narrated by Steerpike, a young man who becomes entangled in the castle's intricate web of politics and intrigue. The novel is renowned for its complex structure, elaborate language, and its portrayal of a world that is both fantastical and deeply rooted in the human condition. more

Author

Mervyn Peake
Mervyn Peake

Mervyn Peake was a British writer renowned for his imaginative and distinctive works. He is most celebrated for his Gormenghast series, a blend of fantasy, satire, and horror that has become a cornerstone of modern fantasy literature. Peake's writing is characterized by its vivid descriptions and complex characters. more

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“The introduction to horrors so young impressed on me just how helpless and vulnerable I was. Parents are supposed to empower their children to live without them but in my family, I wasn’t given permission to be my own person. I thought I needed them to live and then they abandoned me. It’s no wonder I felt so unempowered well into my adult years.”

“St. John,” I said, “I think you are al­most wicked to talk so. I am dis­posed to be as con­tent as a queen, and you try to stir me up to rest­less­ness! To what end?” “To the end of turn­ing to profit the tal­ents which God has committed to your keep­ing; and of which He will surely one day de­mand a strict ac­count. Jane, I shall watch you closely and anx­iously—I warn you of that. And try to re­strain the dis­pro­por­tion­ate fervour with which you throw your­self into com­mon­place home pleasures. Don’t cling so tena­ciously to ties of the flesh; save your con­stancy and ar­dour for an ad­e­quate cause; for­bear to waste them on trite tran­sient ob­jects. Do you hear, Jane?” “Yes; just as if you were speak­ing Greek. I feel I have ad­e­quate cause to be happy, and I will be happy. Good­bye!”