An artist is a creature driven by demons. He don't know why they choose him and he's usually too busy to wonder why. He is completely amoral in that he will rob, borrow, beg, or steal from anybody and everybody to get the work done.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Artists are driven by internal forces and may do whatever it takes to complete their work, regardless of moral norms.
- In plain terms
- Artists do whatever they need to finish their work.
- What can you take from it?
- Passion for art can override moral concerns.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What drives your creative work?
- Would you steal for your art?
Another view
Ignoring morals can harm others.
More from William Faulkner
You should approach Joyce's Ulysses as the illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Old Testament: with faith.
Permalink to quote #31 A man's moral conscience is the curse he had to accept from the gods in order to gain from them the right to dream.
Permalink to quote #33 The best job that was ever offered to me was to become a landlord in a brothel. In my opinion it's the perfect milieu for an artist to work in.
Permalink to quote #30
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