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A review by opimenta
Island by Aldous Huxley
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
«“Somehow or other one finds the necessary strength,” he said.
“But will it be the right kind of strength? Or will it be the strength of armor, the strength of shut-offness, the strength of being absorbed in your work and your ideas and not caring a damn for anything else?”»
«If I only knew who in fact I am, I should cease to behave as what I think I am; and if I stopped behaving as what I think I am, I should know who I am.»
«“Were you ever interested in power?” he asked after a moment of silence.
“Never.” Will shook his head emphatically. “One can't have power without committing oneself.”
“And for you the horror of being committed outweighs the pleasure of pushing other people around?”
“By a factor of several thousand times.”»
«“Do you know what it's like,” he asked at length,
“to feel that nothing is quite real—including your-self?”
Susila nodded. “It sometimes happens when one's just on the point of discovering that every-thing, including oneself, is much more real than one ever imagined. It's like shifting gears: you have to go into neutral before you change into high.”»
«We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is to learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.»
“But will it be the right kind of strength? Or will it be the strength of armor, the strength of shut-offness, the strength of being absorbed in your work and your ideas and not caring a damn for anything else?”»
«If I only knew who in fact I am, I should cease to behave as what I think I am; and if I stopped behaving as what I think I am, I should know who I am.»
«“Were you ever interested in power?” he asked after a moment of silence.
“Never.” Will shook his head emphatically. “One can't have power without committing oneself.”
“And for you the horror of being committed outweighs the pleasure of pushing other people around?”
“By a factor of several thousand times.”»
«“Do you know what it's like,” he asked at length,
“to feel that nothing is quite real—including your-self?”
Susila nodded. “It sometimes happens when one's just on the point of discovering that every-thing, including oneself, is much more real than one ever imagined. It's like shifting gears: you have to go into neutral before you change into high.”»
«We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is to learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.»