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Marguerite Young Quotes

Powerful Marguerite Young for Daily Growth

About Marguerite Young

Marguerite Young (1896-1986) was an influential American novelist and essayist, best known for her magnum opus, "The Age of Man" trilogy. Born in Tampa, Florida on May 23, 1896, she spent most of her early years in Miami before moving to New York City at the age of 17. The urban environment and its diverse culture heavily influenced her literary sensibilities. Young's writing career began in the 1920s with the publication of short stories and essays in various magazines. However, it was not until the 1930s that she gained widespread recognition with the release of her first novel, "Miss MacIntosh, My Darling," a semi-autobiographical account of a young woman's search for identity and meaning in the modern world. The publication of "The Age of Man" trilogy in 1934 marked Young's most significant literary achievement. Spanning three volumes - "Miss MacIntosh, My Darling," "Miss Leitch Has Gone," and "So Far from God" - the epic work explores themes of love, loss, faith, and the human condition against the backdrop of 20th-century America and Cuba. Influenced by authors such as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and William Faulkner, Young's writing style is marked by its dense prose, rich symbolism, and intricate narrative structure. Despite garnering critical acclaim upon publication, the trilogy struggled to find a mainstream audience, which left Young both frustrated and financially strained throughout her life. Young continued to write essays, reviews, and short stories throughout her career but never achieved the commercial success she desired with her subsequent works. She passed away on October 17, 1986, in New York City, leaving behind a body of work that continues to captivate readers today for its poetic beauty, emotional depth, and unflinching exploration of humanity.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In the beginning is the mystery, in the mystery is the delight."

This quote by Marguerite Young emphasizes the inherent fascination that lies within the unknown or mysterious aspects of life. The "beginning" could symbolize the genesis of any situation or experience. The notion that within this enigma, there is a source of pleasure suggests that our curiosity and desire for knowledge are intrinsically linked to our feelings of joy and satisfaction in life. It encourages us to embrace the unknown, as it offers a unique opportunity for discovery and delight.

"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."

This quote by Marguerite Young suggests that life is an ongoing learning process, implying humility and openness to growth. No matter our age or experience, we are constantly striving to improve ourselves and understand the world around us. The idea of becoming a 'master' in life implies perfection, but this goal is unattainable because personal growth and wisdom are limitless. Therefore, we are all apprentices, learning and growing together throughout our lives.

"Love: a slow dance between two people that lasts a lifetime."

This quote by Marguerite Young encapsulates love as a profound, enduring connection between two individuals. The "slow dance" metaphor suggests a gentle, graceful, and deliberate movement – the dance is not hurried or forced, but rather patiently evolving over time. The "lifetime" aspect implies that this connection, once established, persists through various life stages and challenges, demonstrating its resilience and depth. Essentially, Young's quote highlights love as a long-lasting, nurturing partnership characterized by mutual respect, understanding, and affection.

"The truth lies in a hidden place until someone really loves something or someone enough to seek it out."

This quote suggests that truth, which is often elusive or concealed, can only be discovered when one deeply cares about something or someone. The depth of love for something or someone motivates us to search diligently and persistently, eventually revealing the hidden truth.

"Happiness is the absence of the unattainable."

This quote by Marguerite Young suggests that true happiness lies in accepting reality as it is, rather than pursuing an ideal or dream that seems unreachable. It implies that we find contentment when we recognize our limitations and find peace within those constraints, instead of constantly striving for something beyond our grasp. The unattainable can lead to frustration and discontent, while the absence of such unrealistic expectations can bring about a state of happiness.

If you understand hallucination and illusion, you don't blindly follow any leader. You must know if the person is sane or insane, over the abyss.

- Marguerite Young

Leader, Understand, Over, Hallucination

If you know anything about James Whitcomb Riley, you know that Little Orphan Annie is one of the most fantastic characters who ever lived in America before Charlie Chaplin.

- Marguerite Young

Before, About, James, Annie

I never thought of myself as either a woman or a man. I thought of myself as a person who was born to a writer, who was doomed to be a writer.

- Marguerite Young

Woman, Never, Either, Doomed

If there is no certain reality, the idea of following a leader must be scrutinized.

- Marguerite Young

Leader, Idea, Following, Scrutinized

I believe that all my work explores the human desire or obsession for utopias, and the structure of all my works is the search for utopias lost and rediscovered.

- Marguerite Young

Desire, All My Work, Works, Rediscovered

Some of the poetic writers who insert passages of realism in their texts have no underlying philosophy to uphold them, and revert to realism.

- Marguerite Young

Some, Poetic, Insert, Revert

I'm as much influenced by Joseph Smith and the Mormons as I am, more so, than by Eliot. Actually, I'm much more influenced by the poetry of the Mormons.

- Marguerite Young

More, Influenced, Smith, Joseph

I think there is a rage against women. I've come to see that now although at the time I did not notice it. I was preoccupied with my teaching and my writing.

- Marguerite Young

Think, I Think, Preoccupied, Notice

If you don't have obsessions, don't write. my characters are obsessed.

- Marguerite Young

Write, Obsessed, Characters, Obsessions

The first poem I ever wrote, about loss, when I was 5 years old, expressed the themes of everything I would ever write.

- Marguerite Young

Old, About, Wrote, Expressed

I'm quite sure that most writers would sustain real poetry if they could, but it takes devotion and talent.

- Marguerite Young

Could, Sure, Writers, Sustain

All my writing is about the recognition that there is no single reality. But the beauty of it is that you nevertheless go on, walking towards utopia, which may not exist, on a bridge which might end before you reach the other side.

- Marguerite Young

Other, Which, Nevertheless, Bridge

All the books I have written have been one book, from the beginning.

- Marguerite Young

Beginning, Been, Books, One Book

A lawyer I once knew told me of a strange case, a suffragette who had never married. After her death, he opened her trunk and discovered 50 wedding gowns.

- Marguerite Young

Death, Knew, Discovered, Lawyer

I never fantasized or invented a thing, not one thing. I knew every single thing I ever wrote about.

- Marguerite Young

Knew, Single Thing, Wrote, Invented

I knew Anais Nin, who called me after I had been away for a few years. She was seeking help because at that time no one would give her a decent review. She was made fun of.

- Marguerite Young

Away, Been, Had, Review

When the dream came into being, I always pursued it.

- Marguerite Young

Dream, Always, Came, Pursued

I think most people don't like others who, without a voice of their own, emulate the other. I certainly don't want anybody just to pick up my thoughts and hand them back to me.

- Marguerite Young

Voice, Other, I Think, Emulate

I would say my theme has always been paradise lost, always the lost cause, the lost leader, the lost utopia.

- Marguerite Young

Leader, Always, Been, Theme

I would never write realistic prose. I don't like people who try to write in a poetic style, but in the course of their book abandon it for realism, and weave back and forth like drunkards between the surreal and the real.

- Marguerite Young

Book, Back, Realism, Realistic

At the age of 18 all young poets are sure they will be dead at 21 - of old age.

- Marguerite Young

Young, Will, Sure, Poets

I've been willing to go for years without publishing. That's been my career.

- Marguerite Young

Career, Been, Willing, Publishing

There were also some cruel reviews by women, but the tone of the male reviewers, sometimes hysterical, was different. I have suffered, but I don't want to name names-but there have been men who have seemed to want to destroy me or my writing, men I don't even know.

- Marguerite Young

Some, Tone, Been, Suffered

The first money I ever had was when I received an award from the American Association of University Women.

- Marguerite Young

University, Association, Had, Award

A good writer cannot avoid having social consciousness. I don't mean this about small pieces of writing, but about a big book. If it's a big book, there has to be more than one undertow.

- Marguerite Young

Small, Big, Having, Avoid

I don't believe there can be a poetic novel without political consciousness. I have a strong political conscience.

- Marguerite Young

Strong, Consciousness, Poetic

Dreiser... I love... and almost wouldn't speak to anyone who ever attacked him.

- Marguerite Young

Love, Ever, I Love, Attacked

All creatures are flawed, but out of the flaw may come the universe.

- Marguerite Young

Creatures, May, Flawed, Flaw

Is it experimental to have been influenced by the Bible? By Saint Augustine?

- Marguerite Young

Bible, Been, Saint, Influenced

I would teach from nine to four, sleep an hour, and write from six until midnight, night after night.

- Marguerite Young

Teach, Nine, Six, Midnight

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