Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by John Gardner

Quote by John Gardner

Work

Grendel

Grendel is a narrative poem that delves into the life of a fearsome creature, Grendel, who attacks the Danish kingdom of Heorot. The poem, rich in symbolism and philosophical depth, examines the nature of good and evil, the role of the individual within a community, and the cyclical nature of violence. Written in a modern style, it challenges traditional heroic narratives and invites readers to reconsider the boundaries between human and monster. more

Author

John Gardner
John Gardner

John Gardner, born on July 21, 1933, was an influential American novelist of the mid-20th century. Known for his profound character development and imaginative storytelling, his works have been highly appreciated by readers. more

You May Also Like

“The reason Armand Gamache could go there was because it wasn't totally foreign to him. He knew it because he’d seen his own burned terrain, he’d walked off the familiar and comfortable path inside his own head and heart and seen what festered in the dark. And one day Jean Guy Beauvoir would look at his own monsters, and then be able to recognize others. And maybe this was the day and this was the case. He hoped so.”

“A not-so-easy pill to swallow, is the fact that much of the time, you are fighting monsters that you yourself have fashioned. Yes, there are toxic relationships, toxic individuals, but there also exists the monsters that you have fashioned with your own mind. You think you are being chased, captured, wounded, by these monsters when in fact you alone are composed of the entire capability to dismantle them piece-by-piece, because in reality they exist in your mind and you have fashioned them as the creator of your inner world, as the author of your own epic tale. In this sense, you may reassemble your world and you may remake the plot of your own story. The key is realising how much of the darkness is actually your own doing, digging for their roots, and figuring out how to begin dismantling.”

“Neither Emma's tears nor her rage were enough to make Joseph monogamous, however; nor were the prevailing mores of the day. He kept falling rapturously in love with women not his wife. And because that rapture was so wholly consuming, and felt so good, it struck him as impossible that God might possibly frown on such a thing.”

“She loses it. She cries long and hard. She's in pain. Torture. I can feel it emanating from her. It exists deep down in her soul. It's not about the dog, I know. It isn't even really about her mother, and it certainly isn't her father. It has nothing to do with him. It's not about me, or her, or anyone else. Not about Daniel, or Paul, or Ray. It's about life, and how cruel it can sometimes be...How unfair life is. All of us have a hand in it. We do what we have to do, take what we have to take, and sometimes we hurt people we swear we won't hurt, but we do, because life makes us. It's a dog eat dog world. We're all monsters, when it comes down to it.”