I am not a theologian or a philosopher. I am a story teller.
WILLIAM GOLDINGI’ve come across a novel called The Palm-Wine Drinkard, by the Nigerian writer Amos Tutuola, that is really remarkable because it is a kind of fantasy of West African mythology all told in West African English which, of course, is not the same as standard English.
More William Golding Quotes
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He found himself understanding the wearisomeness of this life,where every path was an improvisation and a considerable part of one’s waking life was spent watching one’s feet.
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He became absorbed beyond mere happiness as he felt himself exercising control over living things. He talked to them, urging them, ordering them. Driven back by the tide, his footprints became bays in which they were trapped and gave him the illusion of mastery.
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What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages?
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No human endeavour can ever be wholly good… it must always have a cost.
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One’s intelligence may march about and about a problem, but the solution does not come gradually into view. One moment it is not. The next it is there.
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You’ll get back to where you came from.
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It may be — I hope it is — redemption to guess and perhaps perceive that the universe, the hell which we see for all its beauty, vastness, majesty, is only part of a whole which is quite unimaginable.
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They walked along, two continents of experience and feeling unable to communicate.
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Even if you got rid of paper, you would still have story-tellers. In fact, you had the story-tellers before you had the paper.
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I am by nature an optimist and by intellectual conviction a pessimist.
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What kind of human person has a favorite eraser?
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I don’t think they [contemporary writers] read me either. I mean, if we’re concerned genuinely with writing, I think we probably get on with our work.
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Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.
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And I’ve been wearing specs since I was three.
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The beast was harmless and horrible; and the news must reach the others as soon as possible.
WILLIAM GOLDING