Theme:
Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley summarized whole theme of this novel as
- Contemporary civilization is damnable
- The dark stream of Time is the only reality
- Disunity, disorder and disorganization
- Illustrate a disreputable world disintegrating into fragments
Summary:
A satire of post-World War I London intellectuals, the work follows Theodore Gumbril, Jr., the protagonist, and his bohemian friends as they drift aimlessly through their lives in search of happiness.
Famous Quotes:
“Then, suddenly, my consciousness was lighted up from within and I saw in a vivid way how the whole universe was made up of particles of material which, no matter how dull and lifeless they might seem, were nevertheless filled with this intense and vital beauty.”
“Perhaps it’s good for one to suffer. Can an artist do anything if he’s happy? Would he ever want to do anything? What is art, after all, but a protest against the horrible inclemency of life?”
“At least two thirds of our miseries spring from human stupidity, human malice, and those great motivators and justifiers of malice and stupidity: idealism, dogmatism and proselytizing zeal on behalf of religious or political idols.”
“Christlike in my behavior, Like any good believer. I imitate the Savior And cultivate a beaver”
“He was trembling with anger; at least one forgot unhappiness while one was angry.”
“Children—that would be the most desperate experiment of all. The most desperate, and perhaps the only one having any chance of being successful.”
“But the people we don’t know are only characters in the human comedy. We are the tragedians.”
“Love makes you accept the world; it puts an end to criticism.”
“Until all teachers are geniuses and enthusiasts, nobody will learn anything, except what they teach themselves.”
“Still, if one has to suffer in order to be beautiful, one must also expect to be ugly in order not to suffer.”
“It’s an affair of the mind; experience and thought have to draw it out.”
“One knew in theory very well that others spoke of one contemptuously—as one spoke of them. In practice—it was hard to believe.”
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