Art is the stored honey of the human soul, gathered on wings of misery and travail.

—Theodore Dreiser

soul art misery

About Theodore Dreiser

Portrait of Theodore Dreiser

Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (; August 27, 1871 – December 28, 1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm moral code, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of...

More quotations from Theodore Dreiser

In order to have wisdom we must have ignorance.

—Theodore Dreiser

ignorance wisdom

More quotations tagged with “misery”

You're immature. You've been unable to adjust to the idea of war."
"Yes, sir."
"You have a morbid aversion to dying. You probably resent the fact that you're at war and might get your head blown off any second."
"I more than resent it, sir. I'm absolutely incensed."
"… Misery depresses you. Ignorance depresses you. Persecution depresses you. Violence depresses you.… You know, it wouldn't surprise me if you're a manic depressive!

—Joseph Heller

war ignorance maturity death misery violence surprise

I wonder, among all the tangles of this mortal coil, which one contains tighter knots to undo, and consequently suggests more tugging, and pain, and diversified elements of misery, than the marriage tie.

—Edith Wharton

pain marriage misery

There are lots of ways of being miserable, but there's only one way of being comfortable, and that is to stop running round after happiness. If you make up your mind not to be happy there's no reason why you shouldn't have a fairly good time.

—Edith Wharton

happiness misery comfort fun

Cruelty is easy, and it breeds only misery. Kindness is harder, and you have to be brave to give it. To be cruel, you can stay closed off from everyone, wear a mask, but to be kind, in essence, to show love, you have to make yourself vulnerable, show your true self to someone and open yourself up to rejection.

—L.H. Cosway in The Nature of Cruelty

love kindness rejection vulnerability misery cruelty bravery

He's turned his life around. He used to be miserable and depressed; now he's depressed and miserable.

change depression misery

History

4 Oct 2015 Added