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Exploring the depths of English literary treasures

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Literary Quotes Exploration

Created by Mathilde Bertaso
Last updated by Angela Di Ruocco 12 months ago
Quotations

On this page, partners will search and upload their quotations from an English work. Simple quotes, more or less short, can allow us to share with others the thoughts, the themes that most touch us. 


This is how we will proceed.
1. Add an item with your favourite quote, specifying: your name and nationality, the work it is taken from and its author.
2. Explain the quotation by exploring its theme, focusing on why you liked it so much.

3. Each student will comment at least two quotations from other partners, by using the Discussion page linked to the current one.

Our English quotations
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven - John Milton, "Paradise Lost". CARMINE DI RUOCCO , Italian Team.
This quote is from Paradise Lost, John Milton's masterpiece. I find it inspirational to take adversity and risk to be king, rather than obey and be a servant. Althought Hell simbolizes bad and evil, we have to get the real meaning out of it, and Satan in his complexity sets an example of leadership, courage and a refusal to accept defeat. In conclusion, I would like to say that there could be other opinions and other ways of understanding this quote and I would like to read yours!
"war is peace freedom is slavery ignorance is strength" George orwell "1984" Ahmet from hasan aybaba anatolian highschool hasibe yalçınkaya
This quote is from George orwell's book "1984". The quote is not very hearthwarming that is because the book is about a distopia where everyone lives a prison-like life. There is a "big brother" who is a dictator that watches everyone. people cannot eat sleep or think freely. This quote is from the goverenment in the book. the goverenment says it because they dont want people who thinks.and the book is about a character who falls in love with a woman in that world.
"But what could be the meaning of flowers on a coffin?" Stefan Zweig , Letter From An Unknow Woman. İklim from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School. Hasibe Yalçınkaya
"But what could be the meaning of flowers on a coffin?" asks Zweig. The answer is actually very simple: graves are for the living.They will comfort, leave flowers, say words; But what good can your actions do? After not being able to help while living. She is not afraid of dying because she has felt with a deep ache what loneliness means and what it is like while is alive.
I swear, gentlemen, that to be too conscious is an illness - a real thorough-going illness.- Fyodor Dostoyevsky "Notes from Underground". YASEMİN. Turkish Team, Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School.
This quote is from Notes from Underground, Fyodor Dostoyevsky. In my opinion, overthinking, that is, overdoing it, is harmful, just like everything else. It's a feedback loop that only gets louder and louder, and increasingly confusing with each iteration. The fact of our consciousness is truly incomprehensible, and when it reflects upon itself ad nauseam, you get the dissonance of an unanswerable dichotomy, always rounding the bend, but never glimpsing what lies after it.
He was terribly afraid of dying because he had not yet truly lived... Franz Kafka’s book “The Metamorphosis” Erdem from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
He is afraid of dying because he doesn't know what it means to truly live. If he doesn't live his life properly, no one cares. So he doesn't know what real life is. You can't have a beautiful life by always living life monotonously. That's why he's afraid of dying.
"Memories are our weapons" Ahmet MURAT Belki de üzülmeliyiz YUSUF from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
They can accomplish great things with the experiences they gain from people's memories. Experience and experiences are one of the weapons of a person against a problem. For example, if a person is harmed by one of his changes, he will be more careful in his next choices.
Hasibe Yalçınkaya Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
"In order to look at other people's faces, I first need to be able to look at my own face. The only thing that does not depend on the majority is man's conscience"
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Beyza
HASİBE YALÇINKAYA HASAN AYBABA ANATOLİAN HIGH SCHOOL ~When you stop loving someone it starts to die inside, My Sweet Orange Tree, Jose Mauro de Vascancelos
This quote is from the book My Sweet Orange Tree by Jose Mauro de Vascancelos. I think it has been said that a person's value ends when you stop loving them. Even if that person is alive, if their place in you is gone, there is no point in their existence for you
"A man can be destroyed but not defeated"- “ The Old Man and the Sea”, E. Hemingway- Giuseppe Acampora, Italian Team
This quote is taken from "The Old man and the Sea" a book by Hemingway. This quote throws the light of the fact that the human spirity is unbreakable, in almost a stoic fashion. The main character Santiago is the proof of that, in fact at the end he will fail to catch the marlin but he still comes out victorious because he retains his noble dignity and event though he is defeated physically he is unbeaten spiritually. These are my two cents on it, i'd be glad to see what you think
"Can any of us have a better job? My eyes will be blinded for the sake of others, and yours will be resting for mischief tomorrow."from Jane Austen .Hilal from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
It's from my favorite books. It made me feel how unnecessary it is to work for others.I felt like we should take care of ourselves.I love quotes with deep meaning.
I think you need to be told something... I mean, to prepare you.  You're going to a strange place. Francez Hodson Burnett, Secret garden..Hasan aybaba Anatolian High School
I felt very different emotions, both lonely and sad.  This book made me sad and excited at the same time. Sare from Hasan aybaba Anatoliam High School
"It is both a beautiful and scary problem. The truth is, you need a lot of care." Azra from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School Hasibe Yalçınkaya
This sentence is from my favourite book Harry Potter Writed by JK Rowling and this sentence makes me feel so different and realistic it says the Facts are painful true choices can make you sad but you won't regret it later
In everybody's life there are hidden chapters which they hope may never be known. Agatha Christie The Moving Finger. Elisa from Hasan Aybaba Anotolian High School.
This quote is from The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie. I think this quote is so related. Because of course everybody has private lifes and private sides of them that they do not show to anybody. I think that makes sense because we can not trust anyone in these days.
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration" Frank Herbert, Dune, Begüm from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School, Hasibe Yalcinkaya
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration" This quote is from a sci fi masterpiece "Dune" By Frank Herbert. When I read this quote I felt it in my heart . It made me realize that I am a servant of my fears and my fears are killing me inside . After a long thinking on this quote, literally my life has been changed. I think it gave me inspiration to be more brave ın every stage of my life.
İf I can't break down the wall, of course I won't tear myself apart but I will not accept to bow down just because there is a wall in front of me, Dostoyeveski, Notes From The Underground HASİBE YALÇINKAYA HASAN AYBABA ANATOLİAN HIGH SCHOOl
This quate is from Dostoyeveski's , Notes From The Underground If I cannot overcome the obstacles in front of me, I try not to wear myself out, but if I cannot overcome that obstacle, I will not obey in the face of that obstacle. This quote makes me think that I should not spoil my own personality when there is an obstacle that I cannot overcome.
Aside from the adults, those who stand out a little in society, that is, those who have something a little new to say to society, must of course be criminals, some more or less, by nature.” Crime and punishment,Bade from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High Schoo
SUÇ VE CEZA🍃 This book is a classic of World Literature, The author of the book is Fyodor Dostoyevsky. What is Crime? What is Punishment? Are all means permissible to achieve the goal? Is Raskalnikov right? Who is the real culprit? Raskalnikov? Society? Loan shark woman? The author, who makes us think of questions such these,has followed a questioning-based style that every reader interpret and gain ideas from according to themselves,their beliefs,and their perceptive on life.
Sabahttin Ali "madonna in Sabahttin Ali "madonna in a fur coat" Hasibe Yalçınkaya Turkish team This quote Sabahattin Ali ;Eda from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School Hasibe Yalçınkaya
can the body of a person, whose existence I did not even know until this age, suddenly become necessary for me? Don't we discover the need for many things only by seeing them? Sabahattin Ali this quote is from Sabahattin Ali "madonna in a fur coat" The quote is This word touched me deeply because human beings are not like that, they always understand that they need something only when they have it, and only the fear of losing it makes them unique
Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.”Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner,Sena from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School, Hasibe Yalçınkaya
This book tells a story similar to the Palestine-Israeli War that we currently see, in which the cruelty, massacre and death in Afghanistan are clearly seen. This book, objective but masterfully blended with all emotions, by Afghanistan's Khaled Hossein, is a true masterpiece.
You don't love someone because they are beautiful, they are beautiful because you love them ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry "The little Prince"Nida from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
This quote is very meaningful to me because I think even though people care about appearance, after a while if you don't like your personality, beauty has no meaning.But if we get along with someone regardless of their appearance and respect each other, that person will be beautiful to us and we will love them.
"The best happiness in life is to be sure that you are loved."Victor Hugo-"Les Misrables". Aylin from Hasanaybaba Anatolian High Scholl Hasibe Yalçınkaya
As long as a person knows that she is loved, her life will be colorful.Love keeps people alive.For example, when we look around us, we see that people who know that they are loved enjoy life.Don't forget that you are loved.
A person is also alone among people~Küçük Prens~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry~Begüm Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School Hasibe Yalçınkaya
I think in this quote it is explained that a person may encounter different thoughts and lifestyles different from his own in a society, and that he cannot always adapt to them, and this situation may alienate him from people. A person does not always find the people around him sincere and close to himself. Most of the time, being excluded by his friends pushes him to this feeling of loneliness. A person's loneliness is within himself, no matter how crowded your surroundings are, it is empty if
I don't think we were blind, we were already blind, blind people who see, blind people who see but don't see?-José Saramago, Blindness, Zehra from Has an Aybaba Anatolian Highschool. Hasibe Yalcinkaya.
I think this quote describes people's summary of life and impressed me a lot because for example sometimes in my life, I can't see a pretty clear truths or situations and I can decide wrong way.This is exactly what the quote talks about in book on blindness.It also talks about the disaster situations that will occur when people do not see the truth clearly in front of their eyes and people becoming blind when they are not blind.
"No matter logic, although unshakable, could not resist a person who wanted to live." The Trial, Franz Kafka. Esma from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School, Hasibe Yalçınkaya.
I think the meaning of this sentence is: There is nothing a person cannot do to live. No matter how hopeless we feel, we try all kinds of logic to get out of that situation, and if this is not enough, we may do things that do not comply with logic. Ultimately, I want to say this, people are very fond of lives, we put a lot of effort into this life that is not permanent.
"A girl who takes care of herself won't have soft and gentle eyes." Jack London"Martın Eden" Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School Rabia,Hasibe Yalçınkaya
This quote tells me that if a person has taken care of himself, his eyes will not be soft, because a person who suffers all the troubles of life alone, sees all the evils and deals with them alone, is always in a state of self-defense against the outside, always perceives the outside world as a threat and always sees himself as a threat to others. It makes me think that he is trying to protect himself from people, which is why his eyes are always hard and not soft.
"Man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything, and I think that is the best definition of him." - Fyodor Dostoevsky- The House of the Dead. İlknur from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian Highschool, Hasibe Yalçınkaya.
Dostoyevsky talked about a long prison life in his book The House of the Dead. And the difficult experiences of prison life have brought about many awarenesss. Freedom can be seen as a need for a person, like oxygen and water. And even when the need for freedom is taken away from us in prison life, people can even get used to this situation over time. Because this is in the nature of humanity, it can adapt to any situation over time, no matter what. And Dostoyevsky wanted to explain this.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee. Bengisu from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School, Turkish Team
This quote is from To Kill A Mockingbird from Harper Lee's book. I think understanding someone truly is a very difficult thing. You should put yourself in their situation and think like them. You really need to empathize them. You need to understand others feelings too. You should be patient
“There is nothing to be afraid of in a dead body, Harry, just as there is nothing to be afraid of in the dark. When we look at death and darkness, what we fear is nothing but the unknown.” J.K Rowling Harry Potter Çiğdem from Hasan Aybaba Anotolian High S
In fact, people are not afraid of the dark, they are afraid of the unknown because existence or non-existence is uncertain. People have to desicion something to something happen. If we don't choose anything time will chooses for us and it results are could be bad for people. Main topic is, unknowness can lead to everything possible.
He wasn't evil, but he certainly wasn't fighting for good. Neil GAİMAN İskandinav Mitolojisi Selenga from Hasanaybaba Anatolia High school Hasibe YALÇINKAYA
Our character is great for showing the perfect order and harmony of good and evil.These words fully describe any personality caught in the middle. This word and the subject affected me deeply because such events happen a lot in our world. You cannot expect a person to be pure good or completely bad, but one side of the scale may be dominant, which will help us adjust the order within ourselves. Who knows, maybe all of the sides of the scale remain in balance. is better than being good with
"However, the thought of being crazy didn't bother him much: more horrible was the possibility that he wasn't." 1984, George Orwell Lorenzo Gargiulo, Italian team
This quotation impressed me because even if that book was published in 1948, I think it's extremely actual. Winston is the only one who still thinks and has an opinion in a totalitarian government and he knows he isn't crazy in a society that thinks he is. Nowadays I feel like it's the same: fewer and fewer people have an opinion and try not to follow the mass. We will meet a total lack of opinions and someone will impose his, like Big Brother did.
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”– Charles Dickens, Doctor Marigold
Doctor Marigold is a “cheap-jack” who has experienced loss and pain. Although he lived the darkness, of guilt for example, he does not hesitate to enlighten the lives of others, to help them in every difficulty. This quote showed me how much important people are in their simple ability to support others and alleviate their worries. It showed me that solidarity among human beings is something infinitely precious and I am ready to assist others whenever they need me. Angela Chierchia, Italian Team
“No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.”- Room of One's Own and Three Guineas, Virginia Woolf - Chiara Donnarumma, Italian team
This quote is taken from the book “Room of One's Own and Three Guineas” by Virginia Woolf, one of the most innovative writers of the 20th century, she was a femminist and she strongly believed in the capacity of women to compose literature, just like men. So I made this choice because it made me think about how much in life we try to be what others tell us to be, what society forces us to do, but there is no need to pursue ideals that are not ours, just be yourself the rest comes by itself.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"-W.Shakespeare- Alfonso Vicidomini Italian Team
This line, from "As you like it", suggests that life is like a stage, with people playing their parts. Shakespeare reflects on the theatrical nature of human existance, emphasizing our role in a vast play. I really liked this stage methapor because Shakespeare invites us to reflect on the different phases of life and the multiple "parts" we play.
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live", "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", J.K. Rowling. Ciro Acampora, Italian Team
This quotation is from "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", wrote by J.K. Rowling. While the little Harry is seeing the image of his dead parents in the mirror, Albus Dumbledore reminds him that although it seems good to remain in our dreams end imagination, we have to understand that we have to live in reality and try to improve it as in our dreams, and I chose it because I think it's a great philosophy.
"When you are no longer part of me your memory will clip from the many small stars, then the sky will be so nice that everyone will love the night". -William Shakespeare, "Romeo and Juliet" Angelica Todisco, Italian Team
This quotation is from “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare. An overwhelming love, the drama takes place in Verona, it tells the story between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, two young people whose relationship is made impossible by their families. Due to a misunderstanding, it is first Romeo, convinced of the death of his beloved, who takes his own life, and finally Juliet who doesn’t accept a world without him. I chose this quote because it refers to a strong love, so strong that Juliet manages to transform the distance between them into a beautiful sky, made of stars cut out from the memory of Romeo, so the dreaded night becomes beautiful and the world falls in love with dark as she does with death.
Nobody understands anyone easily in this world anyway ... The Sorrows of Young Wether ,Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe , Yeliz, Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
This quote emphasizes the difficulty for people to understand each other. He says that understanding and empathy increase in the abundance of people, because its individuals have different experiences and perspectives.
"'Do not give in to despair,' said the Alchemist in a very strange, soft voice, 'or it will prevent you from speaking to your heart.'"-Paulo Coelho,"The Alchemist",Berra from Hasan Aybaba Anatolian High School
This quote is from The Alchemist,Paulo Coelho's book I think a person should never fall into despair."There is always hope."This sentence is one of my favorite sentences.
Mrs Bertaso (France)
"IT IS OUR CHOICES, HARRY, THAT SHOW WHAT WE TRULY ARE, FAR MORE THAN OUR ABILITIES" Albus Dumbledore (the wise and venerable headmaster of Hogwarts) in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' by J.K. Rowling. This quote emphasizes that our actions and decisions are the true indicators of our nature, surpassing even our inherent talents. Moreover, it serves as a reminder that our choices shape the course of our lives. Therefore, it revolves around the idea of personal responsability.
Le petit Prince
"Les étoiles sont éclairées pour que chacun puisse un jour retrouver la sienne.", (or "The stars are lit up so that one day everyone can find their own.'' in English) from the famous french book: 'Le petit Prince' written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I chose this quote because it feel like the star is our lover and we will find him/her when the moment will be perfect. Elisabeth from France
FR Malou - "We accept the love we think we deserve." : " The perks of being a wallflower " by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
This quote is spoken by Bill to Charlie in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, written by Stephen Chbosky (1999).The main character Charlie, asks his favorite English teacher one question. Why do nice people choose wrong people to date ? To this question Bill answers "we accept the love we think we deserve." I really love this quote, It means a lot for me. I interpret it this way : people feel so bad about themselves that they don't think they deserve better, the truth is, everyone deserves better.
" A horse, my kingdom for a horse" Shakespeare , Matthieu Merlet ( French)
‘My kingdom for a horse’ is a quotation from act 5, scene 4 by Shakespeare’s Richard III, At the end of the play Richard losts his horse on the battlefield and we can see his extreme frustration. Richard’s opponent, Richmond, sents men out on to the battlefield as decoys, dressed like him. Richard has killed five of them but Richmond himself elude him and enventually hunts him down.
“It's a dead woman telling you about her life, her life that was yours, from her first to her last hour of consciousness. Don't be afraid of my words: a dead woman asks for nothing more, she asks for no love, no compassion, no consolation.”(Louise, FR)
This quote is from the book Letter from an unknown woman by Stefan Zweig.This quote from the stranger who writes the letter is her last words, because when the man she has loved for years unknowingly reads this letter, she is already dead, so these are her last words. She asks him not to be afraid: she's dead, so he owes her nothing. It's a declaration of love. ( Louise, FR)
Dec 2023 - the French students
Summerset Abbey
The author is T.J Brown. It's taking by the book Summerset Abbey. The quote that I have chose is 'you will soon realize that friendship is something that I do not take lightly.' This quote it's one of my favourite because I think that everyone must think like this, that's to say, I am full agree because a friendship should not be taken for granted, everyone has to work and make efforts. (FR YASMINA)
'Le bonheur est parfois caché dans l'inconnu', Victor Hugo (Amélie, FR)
'Le bonheur est parfois caché dans l'inconnu' (or 'Happiness is sometimes hidden in the unknown') is a quote written by a very famous french writter : Victor Hugo. This quote comes from the book 'Les quatres vents de l'esprit' (or 'The Four Winds of the Mind)' released in 1881 and deals about the fact that if we want to find happiness, we have to know how to get out of our comfort zone.
“I have been bent and broken, but— I hope— into a better shape.” —Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
In his book, Charles Dickens displays social assessment, and the quote appeared at the end of the book. The author enforces the idea that happiness and well-being are not connected to social position. In my mind , I think it can also mean that whichever trouble we get in our life, we always have something to learn from it. So “into a better shape” would mean that we kind of grow up thanks to lessons life taught us. (FR-Solen)
If I had to write a book on morality, it would have a hundred pages and ninety-nine would be blank. On the last page I should write: “I know only one duty, and that is to love.” Albert Camus, Notebooks (Valentine form France)
Love is all around us, it touches everyone and takes many forms. Love for friends or for your partner. It's an essential element in human life, and brings something's special to the human experience. I think loving is a warm and wonderful feeling, as much as it can destroy and hurt, and it takes us through emotions that no other feeling can take. Love is indeed one of the most beautiful duties that man can have to fulfil. Albert Camus saw life in a different but beautiful way.
"After all this time? Always" (Roxane, FR)
This is for me the biggest plot twist of the Harry Potter’s saga. SPOILER ALERT. That’s the moment that we understand why Snape was mean like that and why he hated Harry and his father so much. In this scene we understand the pain that it might be to see the love of his life marry another man who in addition was his enemy at school. Moreover, when we see Snape’s patronus which looks like Lily’s we feel the desperate sadness of the professor because the one that he fell in love with died.
"The Confusions of Young Törless" Robert Musil frCellia
“The feeling of not being understood and of not understanding the world is no mere accompaniment of first passion, but its sole non-accidental cause. And the passion itself is a panic-stricken flight in which being together with the other means only a doubled solitude.” Törless, due to his intelligence, suffer from extreme loneliness. Indeed, he struggles to make friends and to interact with other kids his age. After, losing his virginity to a prostitute, he become aware that intimacy's only
Quote from the book " Le journal d'Anne Frank" Victoria ( FR)
I like several quotes in this book: "The most important thing to remember is that you never have to wait a minute for change to start changing the world." "Who else but me will one day read these letters" Afterwards, his book became well known ! Victoria ( FR)
Jonathan Livingston
We can rise out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence, intelligence and competence. We can learn to be free! We can learn to fly. frAlisa