John Patrick Shanley Quotes

Powerful John Patrick Shanley for Daily Growth

About John Patrick Shanley

John Patrick Shanley is an acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and director, renowned for his poignant and poetic storytelling that often explores the complexities of human relationships. Born on July 5, 1950, in The Bronx, New York, to Irish-American parents, Shanley grew up in a working-class neighborhood that would later serve as inspiration for many of his works. Shanley's love for storytelling was nurtured from an early age. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Fordham University and a Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting from the Yale School of Drama. His breakthrough came with the off-Broadway production of his play, "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea," which was later adapted into a film in 1990. In 1987, Shanley's masterpiece, "Moonstruck," premiered on Broadway. The romantic comedy won multiple Tony Awards, including Best Play, and garnered Shanley his first Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His other notable plays include "Savage in Limbo" (1987), "Defiance" (2000), and "Storefront Church" (2013). Shanley's success transcended theater when he wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award-winning film, "Mystic River" (2003) by Clint Eastwood. He also directed and co-wrote the screenplay for the critically acclaimed film, "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990). Throughout his career, Shanley has been recognized for his unique ability to create characters that resonate with audiences worldwide. His works often reflect his Irish heritage, Catholic upbringing, and experiences growing up in The Bronx. Shanley continues to write, direct, and inspire through his thought-provoking narratives about love, loss, and the human condition.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The opposite of love is indifference, not hate."

This quote suggests that true antithesis to love is apathy or indifference, rather than hatred. The reasoning behind this is that while hatred involves a strong negative emotion towards someone or something, indifference implies a lack of interest, care, or concern. Indifference doesn't actively seek the well-being or happiness of another, which is opposite to the essence of love that seeks the good and well-being of others. In other words, to be indifferent is to deny the essence of love, because love requires engagement, caring, and action.

"Life is made of moments, not minutes."

This quote by John Patrick Shanley emphasizes that life is more than just a string of ordinary or fleeting instances; rather, it's composed of meaningful moments that carry significance and impact. These "moments" are the parts of our lives that resonate deeply, shaping who we are and creating lasting memories. Essentially, Shanley suggests that we should cherish these profound experiences over the seemingly insignificant passage of time.

"If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive."

This quote by John Patrick Shanley emphasizes the importance of self-definition in one's life. It suggests that if a person does not establish their own identity, they risk becoming a mere pawn to others' expectations or perceptions, living a life that is not genuinely theirs but one dictated by others' fantasies or assumptions about them. The quote warns of the potential danger of such a situation - being consumed or "eaten alive" by these external forces. Instead, it encourages self-exploration and the courage to create one's identity based on authentic experiences and values.

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind."

This quote implies that love is not solely based on physical attraction or external beauty, but rather it comes from a deeper understanding and appreciation of another person's character, emotions, thoughts, and intellect. It suggests that true love looks beyond superficial aspects to find a connection at a more profound level. In other words, love is an act of the mind as much as it is an act of the heart.

"We make peace with our past so it won't disturb the present we're trying to create."

This quote emphasizes the importance of addressing and resolving past issues, traumas, or regrets, in order to maintain a peaceful and focused present. By dealing with our history, we can prevent it from negatively impacting our current experiences, relationships, and personal growth. Essentially, it underscores the idea that moving forward requires first understanding and finding peace within ourselves by acknowledging our past and learning from it.

There is some level on which this life must occasionally become repugnant and unappetizing to you and you must step back from it. And then you have a new relationship with it, and then you step back into it from a different angle - with a new appetite - and then you find the next leg of your journey.

- John Patrick Shanley

Back, Next, Some, Leg

I adopted two children, then I got eye disease and five rounds of surgery. I went blind in one eye, then the other eye, and that went on for three or four years. I got very enamored and involved with the theater and did a lot of plays.

- John Patrick Shanley

Blind, Other, Very, Surgery

I was in the Marine Corps in 1971. The idea 'Where does authority come from?' is fascinating to me. And also, the idea of a chaplain is fascinating to me because it's a man of the cloth in uniform, and it's the uniform of a killing machine. Back when I was in the Corps, when I saw that, I was amazed by it.

- John Patrick Shanley

Back, Idea, Marine, Corps

Conscience is the most dangerous thing you possess. If you wake it up, it may destroy you. To live a life of total moral rigor is not necessarily the way to go. It's the path for very few people. Most people need to come up with some kind of middle ground that satisfies their practical, moral, and philosophical esthetic needs.

- John Patrick Shanley

Some, Very, Rigor, Satisfies

If you put someone in a room with no script to direct, they're just going to sit there. Writing scripts is the execution for a show. Then the director takes that and hires people. It's like trying to build a house without any bricks. You need the script. I could build the house, but I have to know how.

- John Patrick Shanley

House, Show, Direct, Scripts

It wasn't until I was 35 or 36, when I wrote 'Danny and the Deep Blue Sea,' that I began to get some notoriety, though I only made $5,000.

- John Patrick Shanley

Deep, Some, Though, Danny

Monogamy is like a 40-watt bulb. It works, but it's not enough.

- John Patrick Shanley

Like, Works, Bulb, Monogamy

I'm Irish as hell: Kelly on one side, Shanley on the other. My father had been born on a farm in the Irish Midlands. He and his brothers had been shepherds there, cattle and sheep, back in the early 1920s. I grew up surrounded by brogues and Irish music, but stayed away from the old country till I was over 40. I just couldn't own being Irish.

- John Patrick Shanley

Country, Other, 1920s, Sheep

I've been writing plays since the seventies and only came to moviemaking when I basically realized that I needed some money to pay the rent. I started to watch films with an eye to figuring out how to write them.

- John Patrick Shanley

Some, Been, Needed, Figuring

I became a playwright and screenwriter. Italian-Americans were my particular specialty. I liked the way they talked. There was something free in it.

- John Patrick Shanley

Screenwriter, Became, Playwright

I've done very well in the film business. Whenever I have wanted something, the film business has given it to me. I'm very fortunate. My big problem in life has always been, 'What do I want?'

- John Patrick Shanley

Always, Very, Film Business, Big Problem

When I finally went to Ireland, I had to go. It was 1993. My father was finally too old to travel alone, and he asked me to take him home. When an old man asks you to take him home, you have to do it.

- John Patrick Shanley

Father, Old, Finally, Old Man

When I visited Ireland with my father and heard the people on the farm talking, I couldn't believe the gift of language they had. I felt very untalented.

- John Patrick Shanley

Father, Gift, Very, Farm

'The Miracle Worker' is just such an incredibly powerful play on stage, and is so kinetic, and athletic.

- John Patrick Shanley

Powerful, Play, Incredibly, Athletic

When I write a screenplay - and I think this is true for a lot of people - you direct the movie. That's what writing a screenplay is.

- John Patrick Shanley

Think, Movie, I Think, Screenplay

Back when you were doing plays like 'The Miracle Worker,' you had 20, 25 people in the cast. When you go to make the film, that's not such a stretch. But when you're doing plays like 'Proof,' it's just five people or something in the thing, and it gets to be a really difficult re-conception.

- John Patrick Shanley

Doing, Back, Had, Proof

I would say that my parents were intermittently proud of me. They couldn't hang onto it, you know? It would come and go, like the flu.

- John Patrick Shanley

Proud, Like, Hang, Flu

You have to live in order to have something to write about - you get caught up in moviemaking and celebrities and money, and it's very intoxicating, but it doesn't give you what you need as a writer. You have to do something else for that.

- John Patrick Shanley

Give, Caught, Very, Moviemaking

Trying to lead an interesting life, a fruitful life, is a big challenge.

- John Patrick Shanley

Trying, Big, Big Challenge, Fruitful

Some actors are brilliant in David Mamet, but they would crash and burn in my plays and visa-versa. You either have my music in your body, or you don't.

- John Patrick Shanley

Burn, Some, Brilliant, Crash

Playwriting is the last great bastion of the individual writer. It's exciting precisely because it's where the money isn't. Money goes to safety, to consensus. It's not individualism.

- John Patrick Shanley

Goes, Individual, Last, Precisely

I did 'Doubt' as a film, a play and an opera.

- John Patrick Shanley

Doubt, Play, Film, Opera

Women consume, and they must be directed what to consume, or they may identify you as lunch.

- John Patrick Shanley

Lunch, May, Directed, Identify

The modern economics of the theater is such that we write plays with fewer and fewer characters.

- John Patrick Shanley

Economics, Characters, Plays, Fewer

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