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Despair Quotes

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Despair Quotes

“It is precisely the sort of thing I am always trying to do in my writing -- to present my unhappy reader with a wide-ranged chaos -- of actions and reactions, thoughts, memories and feelings -- in the vain hope that at the end he will see that the whole thing represents only one moment, one feeling, one person. A raging, trumpeting jungle of associations, and then I announce at the end of it, with a gesture of despair, "This is I!”

Writing Trying Persons Ends Whole Moments Feelings Action Memories Reader Despair Chaos Wide Rage Unhappy Reactions Vain Association Gestures Jungle Always Trying Action And Reaction

Book:Blue Voyage: A Novel

Source: Blue Voyage: A Novel

“Strictures, reproaches, and intemperate speeches from the Senator of Louisiana are really the wailings of an apostle of despair; he has lost control of himself, he is trying to play billiards with elliptical billiard balls and a spiral cue.”

Trying Play Lost Speech Despair Balls Senators Apostles Reproach Louisiana Spirals Wailing Billiards

Author:Huey Long

“Millions of Americans would still despair in the eight long years of the Depression that lay ahead and many of their individual dreams would be dashed on the rocks of economic hardship. But collectively, the country was in a new place, with a new confidence that the federal government would actively try to solve problems rather than fiddle or cater to the rich. Hope was no longer for Pollyannas; the cynics about the American system were in retreat.”

Source: The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope

“So long as we have failed to eliminate any of the causes of human despair, we do not have the right to try to eliminate those means by which man tries to cleanse himself of despair.”

Men Trying Humans Mean Long Causes Despair Racist Misunderstood Genius

Book:Antonin Artaud, Selected Writings

Source: Antonin Artaud, Selected Writings

“For fifty years now, we have tried big government. Yet too many people remain trapped in despair. Now, we must try a new way.”

People Way Trying Years Bigs Government Poverty Despair Fifty Trapped New Ways Big Government

Author:Marco Rubio

“What moments of despair that life would ever be made precious to me by the consciousness that I lived to some good purpose! It was that sort of despair that sucked away the sap of half the hours which might have been filled by energetic youthful activity: and the same demon tries to get hold of me again whenever an old work is dismissed and a new one is being meditated.”

Trying Has Beens Made Moments Might Purpose Hours Half Consciousness Activity Despair Filled Demon Might Have Been Energetic Being Me Sap

Book:George Eliot's Life, Complete: Top Novelist Focus

Source: George Eliot's Life, Complete: Top Novelist Focus

“Trying every day to tell the truth is hard. There are harder things, of course - arguably, living with lies and meaninglessness, living in despair is harder, but it's hardship disguised as luxury and easier perhaps to grow accustomed to, since truth is usually the enemy of custom. There are harder things than writing, being President Obama, for instance, and having to deal with House Republicans, or trying to fix the leak at the Fukushima reactor, these are harder, but writing is hard.”

“The tax rate increases reduce economic growth; they shrink the pie; they cause more poverty, more despair, more unemployment, which are all things government is trying to alleviate with spending.”

Trying Government Causes Growth Poverty Economic Taxes Despair All Things Increase Rate Spending Pie Unemployment Shrinks Economic Growth Alleviate

Author:Arthur Laffer

“If you try to get 1% better each day at your health, at your relationships and the way you treat people, at your creativity, and at turning despair into gratitude, then that 1% compounds into an amazing person. Do that 1%. Take one action. Even if the actions is for one minute. The 1/1/1 strategy.”

People Ifs Way Trying Persons Action Creativity Minutes Gratitude Despair Treats Strategy Each Day Our Relationship Compounds One Minute Amazing Person

Author:James Altucher

“Let it not be said by a future, forlorn generation that we wasted and lost our great potential because our despair was so deep we didn't even try, or because each of us thought someone else was worrying about our problems.”

Trying Said Problem Lost Worry Generations Despair Forlorn

Author:Ralph Nader

“After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us toward is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again. For however important chastity (or courage, or truthfulness, or any other virtue) may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn, on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and, on the other, that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven.”

“The struggle to create a nation and world of economic and social justice and environmental sanity is not an easy one. The struggle to try and create a more peaceful world will be extremely difficult. But this I know: despair is not an option if we care about our kids and grandchildren. Giving up is not an option if we want to prevent irreparable harm to our planet.”

“I think it's more important to concentrate on trying to be, simply, happy. Once you've known deep despair, you feel even more motivated to be as happy as possible. That's how I feel.”

Thinking Feels Trying Important Known Despair Motivated Simply Happy

Author:Emily Susan Rapp

“I am continually trying to find meaning in the world. If we cannot find some ultimate significance or value in our lives, we fall very easily into despair.”

Ifs World Trying Values Fall Our Lives Despair Ultimate Significance Find Me

Author:Karen Armstrong

“The country is in deep trouble. We've forgotten that a rich life consists fundamentally of serving others, trying to leave the world a little better than you found it. We need the courage to question the powers that be, the courage to be impatient with evil and patient with people, the courage to fight for social justice. In many instances we will be stepping out on nothing, and just hoping to land on something. But that's the struggle. To live is to wrestle with despair, yet never allow despair to have the last word.”

“But something occurred to me as I sped through that dirty shroud of fog, something Vonnegut has been trying to explain to the rest of us for most of his life. And that is this: Despair is a form of hope. It is an acknowledgment of the distance between ourselves and our appointed happiness. At certain moments, it is reason enough to live.”

Trying Has Beens Reason Enough Moments Form Certain Despair Distance Dirty Fog Acknowledgment Shrouds Sped

Book:(Not that You Asked): Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions

Source: (Not that You Asked): Rants, Exploits, and Obsessions

“...I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire...I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it. Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.”

Men Giving Trying May Said Moments Might Remember Desire Forget Fields Fool Victory Battle Despair Illusion Breaths Philosopher Conquer Folly Now And Then Forget It Fury Mausoleum

Author:William Faulkner

“I didn't have to scramble up and down the ladder from despair to euphoria anymore, trying to convince myself that life was either painful and terrible or joyous and wonderful. The simple truth was that life was both. p 214”

Trying Simple Wonderful Terrible Despair Painful Convince Ladders Up And Down Joyous Euphoria Simple Truths

Author:Melody Beattie

“We can surely no longer pretend that our children are growing up into a peaceful, secure, and civilized world. We've come to the point where it's irresponsible to try to protect them from the irrational world they will have to live in when they grow up. The children themselves haven't yet isolated themselves by selfishness and indifference; they do not fall easily into the error of despair; they are considerably braver than most grownups. Our responsibility to them is not to pretend that if we don't look, evil will go away, but to give them weapons against it.”

“Mortal lovers must not try to remain at the first step; for lasting passion is the dream of a harlot and from it we wake in despair.”

Trying Firsts Wisdom Dream Passion Steps Love You Lovers Despair Mortals Lasting First Steps Harlots

Author:C. S. Lewis

“In times of grief and sorrow I will hold you and rock you, and take your grief and make it my own. When you cry, I cry, and when you hurt, I hurt. And together we will try to hold back the floods to tears and despair and make it through the potholed street of life.”

Trying Together Hurt My Own Grief Streets Rocks Cry Tears Sorrow Despair Grieving Flood Notebook Griefing Notebook Love

Author:Nicholas Sparks

“Does anything in nature despair except man? An animal with a foot caught in a trap does not seem to despair. It is too busy trying to survive. It is all closed in, to a kind of still, intense waiting. Is this a key? Keep busy with survival. Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for long, not even pain, psychic pain. Sit it out. Let it all pass. Let it go.”

Source: The Journals of May Sarton Volume One: Journal of a Solitude, Plant Dreaming Deep, and Recovering

“Unhappy people do the oddest, most terrible things, just trying to keep despair at bay. All you have to do is accept them...go around them...take evasive action.”

People Trying Action Accepting Terrible Despair Unhappy Terrible Things Unhappy People

Author:Geraldine McCaughrean

“He thought that it was loneliness which he was trying to escape and not himself. But the street ran on: catlike, one place was the same as another to him. But in none of them could he be quiet. But the street ran on in its moods and phases, always empty: he might have seen himself as in numberless avatars, in silence, doomed with motion, driven by the courage of flagged and spurred despair; by the despair of courage whose opportunities had to be flagged and spurred.”

Trying Might Opportunity Silence Streets Loneliness Quiet Despair Empty Driven Mood Ran Phases Doomed

Book:Novels, 1930-1935

Source: Novels, 1930-1935

“We are alive. We are human, with good and bad in us. That's all we know for sure. We can't create a new species or a new world. That's been done. Now we have to live within those boundaries . What are our choices? We can despair and curse, and change nothing. We can choose evil like our enemies have done and create a world based on hate. Or we can try to make things better.”

Knows World Trying Humans Done Hate Choices Evil Enemy Alive Despair Species Boundaries Curse New World Holocaust Good And Bad Our Choices

Book:Daniel's Story

Source: Daniel's Story

“You're not eating anything," said Marilla sharply, eying her as if it were a serious shortcoming. Anne sighed. I can't. I'm in the depths of despair. Can you eat when you are in the depths of despair?" I've never been in the depths of despair, so I can't say," responded Marilla. Weren't you? Well, did you ever try to IMAGINE you were in the depths of despair?" No, I didn't." Then I don't think you can understand what it's like. It's very uncomfortable a feeling indeed.”

Ifs Thinking Trying Wells Said I Can Feelings Imagine Serious Despair Eating Depth Uncomfortable Shortcomings

Book:ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - Complete Collection: ALL 14 Books in One Volume (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Rainbow Valley, The Story Girl, Chronicles of Avonlea and more): Including Letters and Autobiography of Lucy Maud Montgomery

Source: ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - Complete Collection: ALL 14 Books in One Volume (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Rainbow Valley, The Story Girl, Chronicles of Avonlea and more): Including Letters and Autobiography of Lucy Maud Montgomery

“I did point out that I have no prophetic gifts. I write books because I tried to do something more useful and failed. Since I've been trained to write, I do that as a defense against total despair. And seeing people like you, who are actively engaged in trying to salvage pieces of our wrecked lives, gives me hope that after all we are not alone.”

People Giving Writing Trying Book Pieces Seeing Like You Despair Give Me Defense Engaged Not Alone Prophetic Salvage

Author:Ayi Kwei Armah

“You try as a parent. You love beyond reason. You fight beyond endurance. You hope beyond despair. You never think, until the very last moment, that it still might not be enough.”

Thinking Trying Stills Reason Enough Moments Might Lasts Fighting Parent Despair Parenting Endurance

Book:Live to Tell: A Detective D. D. Warren Novel

Source: Live to Tell: A Detective D. D. Warren Novel

“I know it's late, but could you find a book for me? It's called The Slavs: Study of Pagan Tradition by Osvintsev." Barabas sighed dramatically. "Kate, you make me despair. Let's try that again from the top, except this time pretend you are an alpha." "I don't need a lecture. I just need the book." "Much better. Little more growl in the voice?" "Barabas!" "And we're there. Congratulations!”

Knows Needs Trying Littles Book Voice Study Despair Late Tradition Congratulations Lectures Pagan Kate Alphas

Author:Ilona Andrews

“I try to have reasonably happy endings because I would hate any child to be cast down in gloom and despair; I want to show them you can find a way out of it.”

Way Want Trying Children Book Ends Shows Hate Despair Casts Positivity Happy Novelists Happy Endings Gloom There Is Always A Way

Author:Jacqueline Wilson

“But if you are a poor creature--poisoned by a wretched up-bringing in some house full of vulgar jealousies and senseless quarrels--saddled, by no choice of your own, with some loathsome sexual perversion--nagged day in and day out by an inferiority complex that makes you snap at your best friends--do not despair. He knows all about it. You are one of the poor whom He blessed. He knows what a wretched machine you are trying to drive. Keep on. Do what you can. One day He will fling it on the scrap-heap and give you a new one. And then you may astonish us all - not least yourself.”

“It's dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you're feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them. So throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That's why you must walk so lightly. Lightly my darling.”

Feels Trying Children Self Hard Feelings Happens Dark Walks Feet Despair Things Happen Pity Darling Self Pity Baggage Quicksand Trying Too Hard

Author:Aldous Huxley

“I think there is hope for you yet, Will Herondale. I will try to learn how to have it, without you to show me. Tessa, Jem said. She knows despair, and hope as well. you can teach each other. Find her, Will, and tell her that I loved her always. My blessings, for all that it is worth, is on you both.”

Source: The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel; Clockwork Prince; Clockwork Princess

“As a lifelong pacifist, Quaker, and a gay man, I despair that gays and lesbians are expending energy trying to get into the military when they should be using that same energy getting rid of the military completely.”

Men Should Trying Energy Justice Military Gay Despair Diversity Social Justice Lifelong Gay Men Pacifist Quaker

Author:Ned Rorem

“Every message of despair is the statement of a situation from which everybody must freely try to find a way out.”

Way Trying Situation Despair Messages Statements

Author:Eugene Ionesco

“It is my firm belief that I have a link with the past and a responsibility to the future. I cannot give up. I cannot despair. There's a whole future, generations to come. I have to keep trying.”

“This can't last. This misery can't last. I must remember that and try to control myself. Nothing lasts really. Neither happiness nor despair. Not even life lasts very long.”

Trying Long Lasts Remember Despair Misery Control Myself

Author:Celia Johnson

“If I had my life to live over again I would not devote it to develop new industrial processes: I would try to add my humble efforts to use Science to the betterment of the human race. I despair of the helter-skelter methods of our vaulted homo sapiens, misguided by his ignorance and his politicians. If we continue our ways, there is every possibility that the human race may follow the road of former living races of animals whose fossils proclaim that they were not fit to continue. Religion, laws and morals is not enough. We need more. Science can help us.”

“My good friends, we are all waiting. We are waiting, if not for the Messiah, as such, we are waiting for the messianic moment. And the messianic moment is what each and every one of us tries to build, meaning a certain area of humanity that links us to all those who are human and, therefore, desperately trying to fight despair as humanly as possible and - I hope - with some measure of success.”

Ifs Inspirational Trying Humans Moments Certain Humanity Fighting Waiting Despair Areas Links Good Friend Graduation Messiah Inspirational Success Measure Of Success

Author:Elie Wiesel

“I need not to be afraid of the void. The void is part of my person. I need to enter consciously into it. To try to escape from it is to try to live a lie. It is also to cease to be. My acceptance of despair and emptiness constitutes my being; to have the courage to accept despair is to be.”

Needs Trying Persons Lying Accepting Acceptance Despair Cease Emptiness Void

Book:The Experience of Nothingness

Source: The Experience of Nothingness

“When I find that so much of my life has stolen unprofitably away, and that I can descry by retrospection scarcely a few single days properly and vigorously employed, why do I yet try to resolve again? I try, because reformation is necessary and despair is criminal. I try, in humble hope of the help of God.”

Thinking Life Trying I Can Helping Might Desire Hope Despair Humble Criminals Tea Resolve Employed Stolen Reformation God Life Buns

Author:Samuel Johnson

“And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you That I'm tired of Castles in the Air I've got a dream I want the world to share in castle walls Just leave me to despair Hills of forest green where the mountains touch the sky A dream come true, I'll live there 'til I die I'm asking you, to say my last good-bye The love we knew, ain't worth another try”

“There is no answer to Auschwitz...To try to answer is to commit a supreme blasphemy. Israel enables us to bear the agony of Auschwitz without radical despair, to sense a ray of God's radiance in the jungles of history.”

Trying Answers Bears Despair Israel Supreme Commit Radical Rays Holocaust Agony Jungle Blasphemy Radiance Auschwitz

Author:Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Every way that we try to make our kids good that isn’t rooted in the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is a damnable, crushing, despair-breedin g, Pharisee-produc ing law.”

Way Trying Kids Law Jesus Christ Despair News Jesus Christ Crush Resurrection Rooted Good News Life Death Ascension Pharisees

Author:Elyse Fitzpatrick

“Say "yes" to life! "Yes" to wonder, to joy, to despair. "Yes" to pain, "yes" to what you don't understand. Try "yes." Try "always." Try "possible." Try "hopeful." Try "I will." And try "I can."”

Trying I Can Pain Joy Wonder Despair Hopeful

Book:LIVING, LOVING & LEARNING

Source: LIVING, LOVING & LEARNING

“I really don't make a concerted effort to try to find a type of role. Maybe I've just done enough of them now where people are like, "Oh, it's the guy that's in a swirling vortex of despair, send it to Kinnear!" I don't really know, but it does seem to be a recurring theme.”

People Knows Trying Doe Done Enough Seems Guy Effort Roles Type Despair Theme Recurring Vortex Recurring Themes

Author:Greg Kinnear

“The American humorist sat on his couch suffering thoughts of her, trying to figure out how to win back her affections, wondering what had happened between them or just tumbling head-over-heels down into romantic oblivion where the image of a remembered kiss provokes bottomless despair and makes death seem like the right idea.He experienced the basics of love ended.”

Source: Sombrero Fallout

“Then I felt that every inflection of my voice, every word in my mouth, was a lie, a play whose sole purpose was to cover emptiness and boredom. There was only one way I could avoid a state of despair and a breakdown. To be silent. And to reach behind the silence for clarity or at least try to collect the resources that might still be available to me.”

Way Trying Stills States Play Might Lying Purpose Felt Voice Behinds Silence Despair Mouths Resources Silent Available Clarity One Way Boredom Emptiness Sole Breakdown

Author:Ingmar Bergman

“St. Andrews provided a gentle forgetfulness over the preceding painful years of my life. It remains a haunting and lovely time to me, a marrow experience. For one who during her undergraduate years was trying to escape an inexplicable weariness and despair, St. Andrews was an amulet against all manner of longing and loss, a year of gravely held but joyous remembrances.”

Source: An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness

“Try the Lamentations of Jeremiah. They always pick me up.”

Trying Despair Picks Pick Me Lamentation Pick Me Up Jeremiah

Author:Peter De Vries