One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.
Honore De BalzacRead
A grocer is attracted to his business by a magnetic force as great as the repulsion which renders it odious to artists.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that the allure of mundane professions can be as strong as the disdain they may evoke in more artistic minds.
Balzac reflects on the contrasting perceptions of work between those who find satisfaction in commerce and those who are drawn to creative pursuits. The reference to 'magnetic force' implies that there is a compelling attraction for some individuals towards practical work, while others, like artists, may feel a strong aversion to it, highlighting the dichotomy in human interests and values.
Themes
GrocerBusinessArtAttractionRepulsionCommerceCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about career choices in a motivational seminar.
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Who is to decide which is the grimmer sight: withered hearts, or empty skulls?
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However gross a man may be, the minute he expresses a strong and genuine affection, some inner secretion alters his features, animates his gestures, and colors his voice. The stupidest man will often, under the stress of passion, achieve heights of eloquence, in thought if not in language, and seem to move in some luminous sphere. Goriot's voice and gesture had at this moment the power of communication that characterizes the great actor. Are not our finer feelings the poems of the human will?
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Love is a religion, and its rituals cost more than those of other religions. It goes by quickly and, like a street urchin, it likes to mark its passage by a trail of devastation.
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