Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker realizes their actions are controlled by vanity, causing deep emotional pain and rage.
- In plain terms
- I saw myself as a puppet of vanity, hurting and angering myself.
- What can you take from it?
- Vanity can trap you and cause inner suffering.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What drives your actions?
- How does vanity affect you?
Another view
The quote assumes vanity is the sole driver of behavior.
More from James Joyce
But my body was like a harp and her words and gestures were like fingers running upon the wires.
Permalink to quote #28 She dealt with moral problems the way a cleaver deals with meat: and in this case she had made up her mind.
Permalink to quote #30 I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.
Permalink to quote #27
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