André Gide Quotes

Most popular André Gide Quotes

The color of truth is gray. - André Gide quote.
The color of truth is gray.
— André Gide

truth morals

The color of truth is grey. - André Gide quote.
The color of truth is grey.
— André Gide Feuillets d’automne

truth

Sin is whatever obscures the soul. - André Gide quote.
Sin is whatever obscures the soul.
— André Gide La Symphonie Pastorale

sin

Most quarrels amplify a misunderstanding. - André Gide quote.
Most quarrels amplify a misunderstanding.
— André Gide The Journals of André Gide: 1914¬–1927

quarrels misunderstanding

Complete possession is proved only by giving. - André Gide quote.
Complete possession is proved only by giving.
— André Gide Pretexts: Reflections on Literature and Morality

possessions

The work of art is the exaggeration of an idea. - André Gide quote.
The work of art is the exaggeration of an idea.
— André Gide Journals, 1889–1913

art

Sadness is almost never anything but a form of fatigue. - André Gide quote.
Sadness is almost never anything but a form of fatigue.
— André Gide The Journals of André Gide, 1889–1949, Vol. 1

sadness fatigue

Man's responsibility increases as that of the gods decreases. - André Gide quote.
Man's responsibility increases as that of the gods decreases.
— André Gide Journals: 1939–1949

responsibility

To love the truth is to refuse to let oneself be saddened by it. - André Gide quote.
To love the truth is to refuse to let oneself be saddened by it.
— André Gide
There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them. - André Gide quote.
There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.
— André Gide Autumn Leaves

fear

Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it. - André Gide quote.
Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.
— André Gide So Be It: Or, The Chips Are Down

truth doubt

Assuredly, all nature informs us that mankind is born for happiness. - André Gide quote.
Assuredly, all nature informs us that mankind is born for happiness.
— André Gide
To win one's joy through struggle is better than to yield to melancholy. - André Gide quote.
To win one's joy through struggle is better than to yield to melancholy.
— André Gide

melancholy joy struggle

Nothing is so silly as the expression of a man who is being complimented. - André Gide quote.
Nothing is so silly as the expression of a man who is being complimented.
— André Gide

compliments

Seize from every moment its unique novelty, and do not prepare your joys. - André Gide quote.
Seize from every moment its unique novelty, and do not prepare your joys.
— André Gide Nourritures Terrestres
Fish die belly-upward and rise to the surface; it is their way of falling. - André Gide quote.
Fish die belly-upward and rise to the surface; it is their way of falling.
— André Gide Journals, 1928–1939

fish

The less intelligent the white man is, the more stupid he thinks the black. - André Gide quote.
The less intelligent the white man is, the more stupid he thinks the black.
— André Gide Voyage au Congo

racism race

Other people's appetites easily appear excessive when one doesn't share them. - André Gide quote.
Other people's appetites easily appear excessive when one doesn't share them.
— André Gide The Counterfeiters

appetite

You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - André Gide quote.
You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
— André Gide
Those who have never been ill are incapable of real sympathy for a great many misfortunes. - André Gide quote.
Those who have never been ill are incapable of real sympathy for a great many misfortunes.
— André Gide

illness

Those who fear influences and avoid them make a tacit avowal of the poverty of their souls. - André Gide quote.
Those who fear influences and avoid them make a tacit avowal of the poverty of their souls.
— André Gide
Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better. - André Gide quote.
Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.
— André Gide Autumn Leaves

art

He who makes great demands on himself is naturally inclined to make great demands on others. - André Gide quote.
He who makes great demands on himself is naturally inclined to make great demands on others.
— André Gide

human nature

It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves—in finding themselves. - André Gide quote.
It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves—in finding themselves.
— André Gide

adventure

No progress in humanity is possible unless it shakes off the yoke of authority and tradition. - André Gide quote.
No progress in humanity is possible unless it shakes off the yoke of authority and tradition.
— André Gide

progress authority tradition

True kindness presupposes the faculty of imagining as one's own the suffering and joys of others. - André Gide quote.
True kindness presupposes the faculty of imagining as one's own the suffering and joys of others.
— André Gide Pretexts

kindness empathy

One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. - André Gide quote.
One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.
— André Gide The Counterfeiters

courage discovery

To know how to free oneself is nothing; the arduous thing is to know what to do with one's freedom. - André Gide quote.
To know how to free oneself is nothing; the arduous thing is to know what to do with one's freedom.
— André Gide Autumn Leaves

freedom

One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. - André Gide quote.
One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.
— André Gide

risk-taking progress

Our judgments about things vary according to the time left us to live — that we think is left us to live. - André Gide quote.
Our judgments about things vary according to the time left us to live — that we think is left us to live.
— André Gide
Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and saying it all again. - André Gide quote.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and saying it all again.
— André Gide

philosophy listening

The individual man tires to escape the race.  And as soon as he ceases to represent the race, he represents man. - André Gide quote.
The individual man tires to escape the race.  And as soon as he ceases to represent the race, he represents man.
— André Gide Journals, 1889–1913

race individuality

To read a writer is for me not merely to get an idea of what he says, but to go off with him, and travel in his company. - André Gide quote.
To read a writer is for me not merely to get an idea of what he says, but to go off with him, and travel in his company.
— André Gide Pretexts

reading

From the satisfaction of desire there may arise, accompanying joy and as it were sheltering behind it, something not unlike despair. - André Gide quote.
From the satisfaction of desire there may arise, accompanying joy and as it were sheltering behind it, something not unlike despair.
— André Gide The Counterfeitors

desire despair satisfaction

One is always wrong to open a conversation with the devil, for, however he goes about it, he always insists upon having the last word. - André Gide quote.
One is always wrong to open a conversation with the devil, for, however he goes about it, he always insists upon having the last word.
— André Gide Journals, 1914–17

conversation

Art begins with resistance - at the point where resistance is overcome. No human masterpiece has ever been created without great labor. - André Gide quote.
Art begins with resistance - at the point where resistance is overcome. No human masterpiece has ever been created without great labor.
— André Gide

creativity

It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labours of peace. - André Gide quote.
It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labours of peace.
— André Gide

peace

Great authors are admirable in this respect: in every generation they make for disagreement. Through them we become aware of our differences. - André Gide quote.
Great authors are admirable in this respect: in every generation they make for disagreement. Through them we become aware of our differences.
— André Gide Pretexts: Reflections on Literature and Morality

disagreement authors

Why have you not understood that all happiness is a chance encounter and that every moment presents itself to you like a beggar by the roadside? - André Gide quote.
Why have you not understood that all happiness is a chance encounter and that every moment presents itself to you like a beggar by the roadside?
— André Gide Fruits of the Earth

happiness

The most decisive actions of our life – I mean those that are most likely to decide the whole course of our future – are, more often than not, unconsidered. - André Gide quote.
The most decisive actions of our life – I mean those that are most likely to decide the whole course of our future – are, more often than not, unconsidered.
— André Gide

life decision-making

The free play of art cannot be enjoyed on an empty stomach.  Only after the dinner do we bring the artist onto the stage. His function is not to nourish but to intoxicate. - André Gide quote.
The free play of art cannot be enjoyed on an empty stomach.  Only after the dinner do we bring the artist onto the stage. His function is not to nourish but to intoxicate.
— André Gide Pretexts: Reflections on Literature and Morality

artists

I owe much to my friends; but, all things considered, it strikes me that I owe even more to my enemies.  The real person springs to life under a sting even better than under a caress. - André Gide quote.
I owe much to my friends; but, all things considered, it strikes me that I owe even more to my enemies.  The real person springs to life under a sting even better than under a caress.
— André Gide Pretexts: Reflections on Literature and Morality

enemies

It is not always by plugging away at a difficulty and sticking to it that one overcomes it; often it is by working on the one next to it. Some things and some people have to be approached obliquely, at an angle. - André Gide quote.
It is not always by plugging away at a difficulty and sticking to it that one overcomes it; often it is by working on the one next to it. Some things and some people have to be approached obliquely, at an angle.
— André Gide

adversity

What another would have done as well as you, do not do it. What another would have said as well as you, do not say it; what another would have written as well, do not write it. Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself-and thus make yourself indispensable. - André Gide quote.
What another would have done as well as you, do not do it. What another would have said as well as you, do not say it; what another would have written as well, do not write it. Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself-and thus make yourself indispensable.
— André Gide

talent

Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.
— André Gide

philosophy