Those who had fought for what they called the revolution maintained a great pride: the pride of being on the correct side of the front lines. Ten or twelve years later (around the time of our story) the front lines began to melt away, and with them the correct side. No wonder the former supporters of the revolution feel cheated and are quick to seek substitute fronts; thanks to religion they can (in their role as atheists struggling against believers) stand again on the correct side and retain their habitual and precious sense of their own superiority. But to tell the truth, the substitute front was also useful to others, and it will perhaps not be too premature to disclose that Alice was one of them. Just as the directress wanted to be on the correct side, Alice wanted to be on the opposite side. During the revolution they had nationalized her papa's shop, and Alice hated those who had done this to him. But how should she show her hatred? Perhaps by taking a knife and avenging her father? But this sort of thing is not the custom in Bohemia. Alice had a better means for expressing her opposition: she began to believe in God. Milan Kundera
About This Quote

These words were written by Franz Kafka in his story, “The Metamorphosis,” which is about an insect that changes into a man. The main character, Gregor Samsa, is well aware of the transformation, but he fails to see the bigger picture. He becomes so focused on his own personal goals that he loses sight of his goals in general. We all have goals, whether they are personal or professional goals.

But it’s important to take a step back and realize that our goals are only one part of our lives. Life is much bigger than just what I want it to be. This quote reminds me of that idea.

The author also reminds us that it’s important to have goals for our lives, but we need to remember that there are other parts of life that are equally important.

Source: Laughable Loves

Some Similar Quotes
  1. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - Anonymous
  2. Sometimes God allows what he hates to accomplish what he loves. - Joni Eareckson Tada
  3. No woman wants to be in submission to a man who isn't in submission to God! - T.d. Jakes
  4. His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he says, "I think, " he says, "my heart is going to explode, " and I wish, more than ever, that I... - Tahereh Mafi
  5. Why is there ever this perverse cruelty in humankind, that makes us hurt most those we love best? - Jacqueline Carey
More Quotes By Milan Kundera
  1. Two people in love, alone, isolated from the world, that's beautiful.
  2. You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.
  3. Making love with a woman and sleeping with a woman are two separate passions, not merely different but opposite. Love does not make itself felt in the desire for copulation (a desire that extends to an infinite number of women) but in the desire for...
  4. He suddenly recalled from Plato's Symposium: People were hermaphrodites until God split then in two, and now all the halves wander the world over seeking one another. Love is the longing for the half of ourselves we have lost.
  5. I want you to be weak. As weak as I am.
Related Topics