Quotes With Meaning
One may enter the literary parlor via just about any door, be it the prison door, the madhouse door, or the brothel door. There is but one door one may not enter it through, which is the child room door. The critics will never forgive you such. The great Rudyard Kipling is one of a number of people to have suffered from this. I keep wondering to myself what this peculiar contempt towards anything related to childhood is all about.
One may enter the literary parlor via just about any door, be it the prison door, the madhouse door, or the brothel door. There is but one door one may not enter it through, which is the child room door. The critics will never forgive you such. The great Rudyard Kipling is one of a number of people to have suffered from this. I keep wondering to myself what this peculiar contempt towards anything related to childhood is all about.
This quote addresses the idea that while many experiences in life can lead one to literary expression, the topic of childhood is often viewed with skepticism or disdain by critics. Ende suggests that entering the literary world through experiences like imprisonment, madness, or even the seedy aspects of life is permissible and sometimes celebrated. However, writing about childhood can be seen as naive or overly sentimental, leading to harsh criticism. This reflects a societal bias against the purity and simplicity associated with childhood. Ende's contemplation on this disdain invites us to examine why society undervalues the innocence and truth found in a child’s perspective. Ultimately, it challenges us to embrace all aspects of life, including the wisdom gained from childhood, in our creative pursuits.