As you know, I ♥ Flannery O since long before R. Ahern compared my stories to hers, and I ♥ a good Flannery O-quote, but I'm not sure I know what she means by this: "Where you came from is gone, where you thought you were going to never was there, and where you are is no good unless you can get away from it." Any thoughts?
Monday, March 16, 2009
Flannery O'scura
As you know, I ♥ Flannery O since long before R. Ahern compared my stories to hers, and I ♥ a good Flannery O-quote, but I'm not sure I know what she means by this: "Where you came from is gone, where you thought you were going to never was there, and where you are is no good unless you can get away from it." Any thoughts?
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9 comments:
Sounds like "You can't go home again" and "The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill."
People are never satisfied with their present circumstances. Right now, a bevy of media sages (such as Oprah and Thomas Friedman) are reminding us of this because the so-called average American can no longer hope for a bigger car, house, or job to lift them out of their present misery.
I thought it meant that the imagination (escape from present) is the only thing there is....but maybe that's a reach.
For all my adoration of Flannery O'Connor, I think the quote was merely written to sound deep without actually meaning anything in particular. It means whatever you think it means. But yes, it is a lovely quote.
For all my adoration of Flannery O'Connor, I think the quote was merely written to sound deep without actually meaning anything in particular. It means whatever you think it means. But yes, it is a lovely quote.
I would put it in the context of the story "Everything That Rises Must Converge". An overeducated college student goes bonkers at the idea there are people who are perfectly happy if they haven't studied sociology. Her world is shattered and her expectations are comically inauthentic. But the lady she attacks also begins to understand that complacency isn't the answer; any assurances we get in life are outside of a normal context.
"I thought it meant that the imagination"...
The soul
The soul
The past is history.
The future will never go as planned
and the present is never enough.
That title is quite a stretch, w-r. But cute. :)
I think it means that you don't miss your salt till the cellar runs out. Or, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Just think in cliches and it will all make sense.
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