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Narrative Quotes

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Narrative Quotes

“It is usually unbearably painful to read a book by an author who knows way less than you do, unless the book is a novel.”

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Author:Mokokoma Mokhonoana
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“The power of music, narrative and drama is of the greatest practical and theoretical importance. One may see this even in the case of idiots, with IQs below 20 and the extremest motor incompetence and bewilderment. Their uncouth movements may disappear in a moment with music and dancing—suddenly, with music, they know how to move. We see how the retarded, unable to perform fairly simple tasks involving perhaps four or five movements or procedures in sequence, can do these perfectly if they work to music—the sequence of movements they cannot hold as schemes being perfectly holdable as music, i.e. embedded in music. The same may be seen, very dramatically, in patients with severe frontal lobe damage and apraxia—an inability to do things, to retain the simplest motor sequences and programmes, even to walk, despite perfectly preserved intelligence in all other ways. This procedural defect, or motor idiocy, as one might call it, which completely defeats any ordinary system of rehabilitative instruction, vanishes at once if music is the instructor. All this, no doubt, is the rationale, or one of the rationales, of work songs.”

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Book:The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
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“Here in Alpha City, we have a common saying: “What we call ‘sky’ is merely a figment of our narrative.” The most dreamy-eyed among us seem to adorn themselves and their aspirations in that proverb and you’ll see it everywhere: in advertisements on the sides of streetcars and auto-rickshaws, spelled out in studs and rhinestones on designer jackets, emblazoned in the intricate designs of facial tattoos—even painted on city walls by putrid vandals and inspiring street artists. There is something glorious about kneading out into the doughy firmament the depth and breadth of one’s own universe, in rendering the contours of a sky whose limits are predicated only upon the bounds of one’s own imagination. The fact of the matter is that we cannot see the natural sky at all here. It is something like a theoretical mathematical expression: like the square-root of ‘negative one’—certainly it could be said to have a purpose for existing, but to cast eyes upon it, in its natural quantity, would be something akin to casting one’s eyes upon the raw elements comprising our everyday sustenance. How many of us have even borne close witness to the minute chemical compounds that react to lend battery power to our portable electronics? The sky is indeed such a concealed fixture now. It is fair to say that we have purged our memories of its true face and so we can only approximate a canvas and project our desires upon it to our heart’s dearest fancy. The most cynical among us would ostensibly declare it an unavoidable tragedy, but perhaps even these hardened individuals could not remember the naked sky well enough to know if what they were missing was something worthwhile. Perhaps, it’s cynical of me to say so! In any case, we have our searchlights pointed upwards and crisscrossing that expanse of heavens as though to make some sensational and profane joke of ourselves to the surrounding universe. We beam already video images of beauty pageants and dancing contests with smiling mannequins who look like buffoons. And so, the face of space cloaks itself behind our light pollution—in this respect, our mirrored sidewalks and lustrous streets do little to help our cause—and that face remains hidden from us in its jeering ridicule, its mocking laughter at this inexorable farce of human existence.”

ImaginationSkyNarrativeProjectionAbsurdismTechnological ProgressSolipsismSelf Importance
Author:Ashim Shanker
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“The concept of online privacy goes beyond mere secrecy; it's a declaration of our right to control the narrative of our digital lives. As we navigate the vast expanse of the internet, it becomes crucial to establish boundaries that protect our personal information from unwarranted intrusion. Online privacy is not an abstract ideal but a tangible shield that fortifies our individuality in the virtual realm.”

IndividualityProtectionBoundariesNarrativeControlDeclarationCyberspacePrivacy PreservationTangible ShieldVirtual Realm
Author:James William Steven Parker
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“The Trenches of Comprehension by Stewart Stafford Drowning at quicksand's smothering pace, A lonely disappearance that leaves no trace. As I struggle to get out, the deeper I sink, Nothing bequeathed, just dusty ink. Old wives say hearing is the last to go, Second last wind as a bittersweet tango, In sunken lethargy shouting aphorisms, Spouting words fortifies alert mechanisms. Communication fading as it nourishes, From a dying man's lips, it flourishes, The Reaper's bone dice leave you cheated, Exhaustion cashing out the defeated. Chin sinks below for past life crime, Eyes and lungs fill in white light time, Saviour's hand grasps mine in the sludge, And from death's door, I slowly budge. © 2024, Stewart Stafford. All rights reserved.”

DespairSurvivalTraumaPsychologicalNarrativeIsolationExistentialIntrospectiveQuicksandDark Poetry
Author:Stewart Stafford
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“This rabbi," said Merlyn, "went on a journey with the prophet They walked all day, and at nightfall they came to the sumble cotage of a poor man, whose only treasure was a cow. The poor man ran out of his cottage, and his wife ran too, to welcome the strangers for the night and to offer them all the simple hospitality which they were able to give in straitened circumstances. Elijah and the Rabbi were entertained with plenty of the cow's milk, sustained by home-made bread and butter, and they were put to sleep in the best bed while their kindly hosts lay down before the kitchen fire. But in the morning the poor man's cow was dead." "Go on." "They walked all the next day, and came that evening to the house of a very wealthy merchant, whose hospitality they craved. The merchant was cold and proud and rich, and all that he would do for the prophet and his companion was to lodge them in a cowshed and feed them on bread and water. In the morning, however, Elijah thanked him very much for what he had done, and sent for a mason to repair one of his walls, which happened to be falling down, as a return for his kindness. "The Rabbi Jachanan, unable to keep silence any longer, begged the holy man to explain the meaning of his dealings with human beings. "In regard to the poor man who received us so hospitably,' replied the prophet, 'it was decreed that his wife was to die that night, but in reward for his goodness God took the cow instead of the wife. I repaired the wall of the rich miser because a chest of gold was concealed near the place, and if the miser had repaired the wall himself he would have discovered the treasure. Say not therefore to the Lord: What doest thou? But say in thy heart: Must not the Lord of all the earth do right?'" "It is a nice sort of story," said the Wart, because it seemed to be over.”

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Book:The Sword in the Stone
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“The Legend of Robert Halsey This article examines the criminal conviction of Robert Halsey for sexually abusing two young boys on his school-van route near Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Mr. Halsey's name has been invoked by academics, journalists, and activists as the victim of the “witch hunt” in this country over child sexual abuse. Based on a comprehensive examination of the trial transcript, this article details the overwhelming evidence of guilt against Mr. Halsey. The credulous acceptance of the “false conviction” legend about Robert Halsey provides a case study in the techniques and tactics used to minimize and deny sexual abuse, while promoting a narrative about “ritual abuse” and “witch hunts” that apparently requires little or no factual basis. The second part of this article analyzes how the erroneous “false conviction” narrative about Robert Halsey was constructed and how it gained widespread acceptance. The Legend of Robert Halsey provides a cautionary tale about how easy it is to wrap even the guiltiest person in a cloak of righteous “witch hunt” claims. Cases identified as “false convictions” by defense lawyers and political activists deserve far greater scrutiny from the media and the public. journal: Cheit, Ross E. "The Legend of Robert Halsey." Journal of child sexual abuse 9.3-4 (2002): 37-52.”

LawMediaCrimeResearchEvidenceLiesVictimDenialNarrativeManipulationSkepticismChild Sexual AbuseScrutinyJudgeLegalLegendRitual AbuseCriminalSociety DenialMedia ManipulationTrialPedophileWitch HuntChildhood Sexual AbuseMedia LiesConvictedFalse ConvictionFalsely ConvictedRobert Halsey
Author:Ross Cheit
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“Truth for anyone is a very complex thing. For a writer, what you leave out says as much as those things you include. What lies beyond the margin of the text? The photographer frames the shot; writers frame their world. Mrs Winterson objected to what I had put in, but it seemed to me that what I had left out was the story’s silent twin. There are so many things that we can’t say, because they are too painful. We hope that the things we can say will soothe the rest, or appease it in some way. Stories are compensatory. The world is unfair, unjust, unknowable, out of control. When we tell a story we exercise control, but in such a way as to leave a gap, an opening. It is a version, but never the final one. And perhaps we hope that the silences will be heard by someone else, and the story can continue, can be retold. When we write we offer the silence as much as the story. Words are the part of silence that can be spoken. Mrs Winterson would have preferred it if I had been silent. Do you remember the story of Philomel who is raped and then has her tongue ripped out by the rapist so that she can never tell? I believe in fiction and the power of stories because that way we speak in tongues. We are not silenced. All of us, when in deep trauma, find we hesitate, we stammer; there are long pauses in our speech. The thing is stuck. We get our language back through the language of others. We can turn to the poem. We can open the book. Somebody has been there for us and deep-dived the words. I needed words because unhappy families are conspiracies of silence. The one who breaks the silence is never forgiven. He or she has to learn to forgive him or herself.”

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Book:Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
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“The pitfalls of wokeism become evident in its tendency to silence voices that deviate from the accepted narrative, stifling the dynamic interplay of ideas essential for societal progress. The cancellation of individuals, especially in the realm of comedy, illustrates a broader pattern of suppressing dissent. A healthy society embraces humor as a powerful form of expression, understanding that the essence of comedy often lies in challenging norms and offering alternative perspectives. To protect free speech, it is imperative to resist the impulse to cancel voices that contribute to the mosaic of diverse opinions, even when delivered through the lens of satire.”

SilenceComedyProgressNarrativeDiversePitfallsVoicesDeviateWokeismInterplay
Author:James William Steven Parker
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“I don't pay much attention to the distinction between fantasy and science fiction–or between “genre” and “mainstream” for that matter. For me, all fiction is about prizing the logic of metaphors-which is the logic of narratives in general–over reality, which is irreducibly random and senseless. We spend our entire lives trying to tell stories about ourselves–they’re the essence of memory. It is how we make living in this unfeeling accidental universe tolerable. That we call such a tendency “the narrative fallacy” doesn’t mean it doesn’t also touch upon some aspect of the truth. Some stories simply literalize their metaphors a bit more explicitly.”

StoriesRealityTruthFictionFantasyLogicScience FictionMemoryMetaphorNarrativeGenreMainstream
Book:The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories
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“A creation myth lays the foundation for how you got here, where you came from, and what your role is now that you’re here. Depending on the civilization and myth, it can tell you who’s in charge and what they value. There’s something interesting about the power of narrative. How can a story from so long ago influence so many people for so long?”

StoriesPowerMythNarrativePower Of WordsAnthropologyNote To SelfCreation MythsIdeas And StoriesMyth As Narrative
Author:Eric Overby
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“It is in human nature to share narratives, whether true or fictional, collectively learning about the universe and ourselves. We, as a species, have evolved to be passionate about all kinds of stories, from myths to gossip, from news to cinema, because without them, we would be lost. We organize our reality through narratives.”

FictionHuman NatureStorytellingNarrativeStory
Book:A Filosofia de Branca de Neve, Alice no País das Maravilhas e outras fábulas infantis : incluindo O Mágico de Oz, Peter Pan, O Rei Leão e Pinóquio
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“Contrary to 19th century wisdom, it’s not just language that separates us from animals—it’s story. Dolphins communicate. Trees communicate. But only humans tell stories.”

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Book:Business Storytelling from Hype to Hack: How Do Stories Work? Unlock the Software of the Mind
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“Some may remain imprisoned in a gridlock of lies or keep on blurring the lines between facts and fables, expecting us to buy the debilitating and fake narrative of their life, until they eventually end up on the chopping block of the inexorable truth. Be that as it may, one can “fool people some of the time, but not all of the time”. (“Bribe payers' index »)”

LifeTruthLiesNarrativeFakeExpectingInexorableRemainGridlockEventuallyImprisonedDebilitatingChopping BlockBlur The LinesBribe PayersFacts And FablesFool People
Author:Erik Pevernagie
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“Our digital devices and the outlooks they inspired allowed us to break free of the often repressive timelines of our storytellers, turning us from creatures led about by future expectations into more fully present-oriented human beings. The actual experience of this now-ness, however, is a bit more distracted, peripheral, even schizophrenic than that of being fully present. For many, the collapse of narrative led initially to a kind of post-traumatic stress disorder—a disillusionment, and the vague unease of having no direction from above, no plan or story. But like a dose of adrenaline or a double shot of espresso, our digital technologies compensate for this goalless drifting with an onslaught of simultaneous demands. We may not know where we're going anymore, but we're going to get there a whole lot faster. Yes, we may be in the midst of some great existential crisis, but we're simply too busy to notice.”

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Book:Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now
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“At the heart of every flourishing democracy is the unyielding commitment to free speech. It is the beacon that illuminates the path towards a more just and equitable society, where every citizen is empowered to participate in shaping the collective narrative. Embracing free speech isn't just about tolerating dissent; it's a celebration of intellectual diversity, a recognition that the strength of a nation lies in the unfettered expression of its people.”

ExpressionDiversityToleranceNarrativeEquityIlluminationEmpowerFlourishBeaconParticipate
Author:James William Steven Parker
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“The opposite of a correct statement is an incorrect statement. The opposite of a profound truth is another profound truth (Niels Bohr)." By this, he means that we require a larger reading of the human past, of our relations with each other, the universe and God, a retelling of our older tales to encompass many truths and to let us grow with change.”

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Book:Building a Bridge to the 18th Century: How the Past Can Improve Our Future
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“Does being true to one's self mean offering the literal truth or the truth that should have been, the truth of the image of one's self? It hardly matters by this time. By this time the border between seeing straight on and seeing round the corners of solid objects, between the world as smooth and coherent and the world as dissociated skinless particle, is thoroughly blurred. No longer a case of double vision, but of two separate eyes whose separate visions - what happened and what might have happened - come together in what we call the past, which we see with hindsight. Memory is revision. I have just destroyed another piece of my past, to tell a story.”

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Book:Leaving Brooklyn: A Novel
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