And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.
Maurice SendakRead
If life is so critical, if Anne Frank could die, if my friend could die, children were as vulnerable as adults, and that gave me a secret purpose to my work, to make them live. Because I wanted to live. I wanted to grow up.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the fragility of life and the deep desire to protect and nurture the vulnerable.
In this powerful reflection, Maurice Sendak conveys the profound impact of recognizing life's fragility, illustrated through the experiences of Anne Frank and the loss of friends. It highlights the motivation that arises from the understanding of vulnerability, inspiring a commitment to work that seeks to preserve childhood innocence and the joy of living, which Sendak himself yearned for in his own life.
Themes
LifeVulnerabilityPurposeChildhoodGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about children's rights, this quote can highlight the importance of protecting the vulnerable.
More from Maurice Sendak
All quotes →From their earliest years children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions, fear and anxiety are an intrinsic part of their everyday lives, they continually cope with frustrations as best they can. And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis. It is the best means they have for taming Wild Things.
Maurice SendakRead
I'm totally crazy, I know that. I don't say that to be a smartass, but I know that that's the very essence of what makes my work good. And I know my work is good. Not everybody likes it, that's fine. I don't do it for everybody. Or anybody. I do it because I can't not do it.
Maurice SendakRead
That always seemed to be the most critical test that a child was confronted with - loss of parents, loss of direction, loss of love. Can you live without a mother and a father?
Maurice SendakRead
One of the few graces of getting old - and God knows there are few graces - is that if you've worked hard and kept your nose to the grindstone, something happens: The body gets old but the creative mechanism is refreshed, smoothed and oiled and honed. That is the grace. That is what's happening to me.
Maurice SendakRead
To get a child's trust - you may know or not - is a very hard thing to do. They're so used to not believing adults - because adults tell tales and lies all the time.
Maurice SendakRead
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