It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
Without war there are no heroes. What harm would that be? Oh, Lavinia, what a woman's question that is.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that the concept of heroism is often tied to conflict, questioning the value of such a notion.
Ursula K. Le Guin's quote provokes a deep reflection on the cultural and societal constructions of heroism, implying that without the existence of war and conflict, the traditional idea of a hero might not exist. It challenges us to consider the implications of defining bravery and valor in terms of war, especially from a woman's perspective, as seen through the character Laviniaβs thoughtful questioning.
Themes
WarHeroesHeroismConflictPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about literature and its portrayal of war heroes.
More from Ursula K. Le Guin
All quotes βIn reading a novel, any novel, we have to know perfectly well that the whole thing is nonsense, and then, while reading, believe every word of it. Finally, when we're done with it, we may find - if it's a good novel - that we're a bit different from what we were before we read it, that we have changed a little... But it's very hard to say just what we learned, how we were changed.
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Reason is a faculty far larger than mere objective force. When either the political or the scientific discourse announces itself as the voice of reason, it is playing God, and should be spanked and stood in the corner.
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The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.
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We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel... is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
When he found that the administrators were upset, he laughed. βDo they expect students not to be anarchists?β he said. βWhat else can the young be? When you are on the bottom, you must organize from the bottom up
Ursula K. Le GuinRead
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