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Quote by Richard Flanagan

Work

Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve Fish

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Author

Richard Flanagan
Richard Flanagan

Richard Flanagan is an Australian novelist known for his profound character development and rich narrative techniques. His works often explore themes of history, family, and personal identity, with novels like 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' and 'The Rich Boy' receiving widespread acclaim. more

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“I was standing alone, at bank of a river Singing a song of a dishearten seraph Wind blows throw me, wild and cold Freezing my eyes to capture the knock I was staring at a glimpse straight to my sight Ignoring the glamour and beauty of life I saw someone in the blurred flight Circling over me to focus the light My mind become brighter and so am I Oh! He was there for so long I find I was never as solo as my night I have a perfect one to be on my side I was once weak and disappointed by my journey I was angry and mad on my unfaithful company I tried hard to be stronger and tougher than I mean And now I am determined and full of virtuous deeds I was bored of hectic normal life of mine And couldn’t find anyone to guide on my line I alone discovered what I meant to be My talents, my path and my desired needs I am ready to face the world that I've known To uncover those skills I learned on my own To make a place of acts, not of just words A place of liberty and love to be heard”

“We must first learn from experience what we desire and what we can do. Till then we know it not, we are without character, and must often be driven back to our own way by hard blows from without. But if we have finally learnt it, then we have attained to what in the world is called character, the acquired character. This is accordingly nothing but the most perfect knowledge possible of our own individuality.”

“Sometimes it's not what you do differently it's what you do consistently. I approached solving my life’s problems from many different angles. I used to try to be perfect, not in the literal sense, but coasting right below in that realistic level of high performance. That was my desire. It did not happen though, yet that desire did not die. Ironically, as I fell into deeper adversity, it grew. As I dug for China, I knew the comeback would make the suffering worth it. It’s like what Viktor E. Frankl wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning, “In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” I felt the meaning for my self imposed suffering was the honorable character I would later possess; it had to be.”