"Under adversity, under oppression, the words begin to fail, the easy words begin to fail. In order to convey things accurately, the human being is almost forced to find the most precise words possible, which is a precondition for literature."

Adversity, Being, Literature, Oppression

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"Under adversity, under oppression, the words begin to fail, the easy words begin to fail. In order to convey things accurately, the human being is almost forced to find the most precise words possible, which is a precondition for literature."

Exlpore more Adversity quotes

"(Adversity is) the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself being especially free from admirers then."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Adversity, Self, Truth, Strength

"Writing a sincere narrative account of personal adversities and misfortunes is one way to become acquainted with the rifts of a person's inmost self, the smothered pieces of want that lie separate and undetected amid the customs, habits, vices, and tedium that encases us in the hubbub of daily living."

Kilroy J. Oldster, American Author

Adversity, Writing, Self, Narrative

"To fall down is to face the weakness of my humanity, test the mettle of my character, and push the limits of my strength. Therefore, falling down will tell me who I am far more clearly than most things I might learn when I'm standing up."

Craig D. Lounsbrough, American Author

Adversity, Fall, Strength, Truth, Power

"Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Adversity, Man, State

"Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with."

Thomas Carlyle, Scottish Philosopher

Adversity, Heaven, Jewels

"For in all adversity of fortune the worst sort of misery is to have been happy."

Boethius, Roman Philosopher

Adversity, Fortune, Misery

"Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are."

Arthur Golden, American Writer

Adversity, Tears, Wind

"Hear reason, or she'll make you feel her."

Benjamin Franklin, American Politician

Adversity, Reason

"There is no education like adversity."

Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman

Adversity, Education

"Thank you adversity. Oh, how we stretch and grow in the shadows of darkness just to reach the light."

Bryant McGill, American Poet

Adversity, Truth, Wisdom, Power, Life

Explore more quotes by Rita Dove

"I didn't know writers could be real live people, because I never knew any writers."

People, Writers

"There are distinct duties of a poet laureate. I plan a reading series at the Library of Congress and advise the librarian. The rest is how I want to promote poetry."

Reading, Poetry, Congress, Rest

"I see a resurgence of interest in poetry. I am less optimistic about the prospects for the arts when it comes to federal funding."

Poetry, Interest

"There are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints."

Life, Complaining, Complaints

"I carry a notebook with me everywhere. But that's only the first step."

Writing, First

"If they don't read, if they don't love reading; if they don't find themselves compulsively reading, I don't think they're really a writer."

Love, Reading, Writer

"I was appointed Poet Laureate. It came totally out of the blue because most Poet Laureates had been considerably older than I. It was not something that I even had begun to dream about!"

Dream,

"The sound of the mandolin is a very curious sound because it's cheerful and melancholy at the same time, and I think it comes from that shadow string, the double strings."

Time, Melancholy, Shadow, Sound

"It's unfortunate that sometimes in schools, there's this need to have things quantified and graded."

Education, Schools

"If we really want to be full and generous in spirit, we have no choice but to trust at some level."

Trust, Choice, Spirit, Want