After all, damn it, what does being in love mean if you can't trust a person.
Evelyn WaughRead
Free as air; that's what they say- "free as air". Now they bring me my air in an iron barrel.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the idea of freedom by highlighting the contradictions in how we perceive and attain it.
Evelyn Waugh's quote 'Free as air; that's what they say- 'free as air'. Now they bring me my air in an iron barrel' presents a sharp irony about the concept of freedom. It reflects on the notion that while air is typically associated with freedom and accessibility, the 'iron barrel' symbolizes confinement and restriction; thus, it prompts us to question the true nature of freedom in a society that often complicates it by introducing limitations.
Themes
FreedomIronySocietyConfinementCritique
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the limits of personal freedom in modern society.
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That was the change in her from ten years ago; that, indeed, was her reward, this haunting, magical sadness which spoke straight to the heart and struck silence; it was the completion of her beauty.
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