Love is made by two people, in different kinds of solitude. It can be in a crowd, but in an oblivious crowd.
Louis AragonRead
I demand that my books be judged with utmost severity, by knowledgeable people who know the rules of grammar and of logic, and who will seek beneath the footsteps of my commas the lice of my thought in the head of my style.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the author's desire for an in-depth and critical evaluation of their work by knowledgeable critics.
Louis Aragon emphasizes the importance of rigorous and thoughtful critique in literature. He implores seasoned critics to not only focus on the surface elements of his writing, such as grammar and syntax, but also to delve deeply into the underlying ideas and emotions that shape his style. This reflects a broader belief that true understanding of artistic work requires more than mere technical assessment—it requires a recognition of the complexities of thought and intention behind the words.
Themes
CritiqueLiteratureEvaluationThoughtStyleGrammarLogic
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary discussion group, to highlight the need for deep analysis of a new book.
More from Louis Aragon
All quotes →And there are loners in rural communities who, at the equinox, are said to don new garments and stroll down to the cities, where great beasts await them, fat and docile.
Louis AragonRead
Similar quotes
I get a lot of moral guidance from reading novels, so I guess I expect my novels to offer some moral guidance, but they're not blueprints for action, ever.
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I spring from the pages into your arms-decease calls me forth.
Walt WhitmanRead
Under adversity, under oppression, the words begin to fail, the easy words begin to fail. In order to convey things accurately, the human being is almost forced to find the most precise words possible, which is a precondition for literature.
Rita DoveRead
Hemingway is terribly limited. His technique is good for short stories, for people who meet once in a bar very late at night, but do not enter into relations. But not for the novel.
W. H. AudenRead
Quite, quite,' she thought with a little sigh. 'It's always like this in their adventures. To save and be saved. I wish somebody would write a story sometime about the people who warm up the heroes afterward.
Tove JanssonRead
At least half the mystery novels published violate the law that the solution, once revealed, must seem to be inevitable.
Raymond ChandlerRead