Djuna Barnes Quotes

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."

This quote by Djuna Barnes emphasizes that truth, like the sun and the moon, has a way of revealing itself eventually. The natural world's predictable rhythms - the constant presence of the sun and the moon - are used as metaphors to underscore the inescapability of truth. No matter how hard one may try to conceal it, the truth will always come to light.

"The function of the witty is to instruct, of the intelligent to amuse, of the sage to admonish, and of the poet to move."

This quote suggests that each type of person or thinker has a unique purpose in society. The witty person educates by using humor or intelligence to make their point. An intelligent person entertains by amusing people with their thoughts or ideas. The sage advises, offering wisdom and guidance, while the poet stirs emotions, moving people on an emotional level through their creative works. Essentially, Barnes is saying that every voice in society serves a distinct purpose, each contributing to learning, enjoyment, growth, and emotion.

"Art is the only thing that can really disturb the peace of the world."

This quote by Djuna Barnes suggests that art, in its purest form, has the power to challenge the status quo and disrupt the complacency of society. By evoking thought, emotion, or change, art can provoke questions about the world as it is, prompting us to seek new perspectives and consider possibilities beyond our immediate reality. Thus, art serves as a powerful agent for change and peace-disturbance in a positive sense – not through violence or chaos, but through the transformative power of creative expression.

"Love itself is nothing, but the hunger is everything."

This quote suggests that love, as an abstract emotion or state, may not hold inherent value, but the intense longing, desire, or yearning for it (the "hunger") is what gives it meaning and significance. It underscores the powerful, driving force that attraction can exert on individuals, often overshadowing the idealized notion of love itself.

"I have little faith in genealogical trees which trifling men plant over graves. A tree is not found by measuring the length of its roots."

This quote by Djuna Barnes suggests that focusing on one's ancestry or lineage (the "genealogical trees") is insignificant when it comes to truly understanding a person, as these superficial connections do not define their true nature or character ("trifling men"). Instead, a person should be seen for who they are in the present, rather than measured by their roots or ancestry. A tree, in this context, symbolizes a person's life, and one cannot understand it by merely considering its origins; its essence is found by observing its growth, development, and impact on the world around it.