AtomicQuote

Julian Barnes Quote

Does character develop over time? In novels, of course it does:otherwise there wouldn't be much of a story. But in life? I sometimes wonder. Our attitudes and opinions change we develop new habits and eccentricities; but that's something different, more like decoration. Perhaps character resembles intelligence, except that the character peaks a little later;between twenty and thirty, say. And after that we're just stuck with what we've got. We're on our own. If so, that would explain a lot of lives, wouldn't it? And also if this isn't too grand a word--our tragedy.

Julian Barnes

Does character develop over time? In novels, of course it does:otherwise there wouldn't be much of a story. But in life? I sometimes wonder. Our attitudes and opinions change we develop new habits and eccentricities; but that's something different, more like decoration. Perhaps character resembles intelligence, except that the character peaks a little later;between twenty and thirty, say. And after that we're just stuck with what we've got. We're on our own. If so, that would explain a lot of lives, wouldn't it? And also if this isn't too grand a word--our tragedy.

Tags: philosophical, psychological, the sense of an ending

Related Quotes

Live your life in such a way that you'll be remembered for your kindness, compassion, fairness, character, benevolence, and a force for good who had much respect for life, in general.

Germany Kent

Live your life in such a way that you'll be remembered for your kindness, compassion, fairness, character, benevolence, and a force for good who had much respect for life, in general.

Tags: a force for good, author, award winning authors, be kind, be remembered, benevolence, best selling authors, bio, biography, character

Belief is a wonderful way to pass the time until the facts come in.

Carl R White

Belief is a wonderful way to pass the time until the facts come in.

Tags: aetheism, agnostic, agnostic atheism, agnostic theism, agnosticism, agnostics, allah, almighty, angels, arguments

Be content with what you have;rejoice in the way things are.When you realize there is nothing lacking,the whole world belongs to you.

Lao Tzu

Be content with what you have;rejoice in the way things are.When you realize there is nothing lacking,the whole world belongs to you.

Tags: ancient, chinese, inspirational, lao tzu, philosophical, philosophy, self reflection, spiritual, wisdom

We are the sum total of the decisions we have made.

E.A. Bucchianeri

We are the sum total of the decisions we have made.

Tags: catholic, choice, choices, choices and consequences, christian, conclusions, consequences, decisions, free will, gadfly

Pragmatism is good prevention for problems.

Amit Kalantri

Pragmatism is good prevention for problems.

Tags: achieve, achievers, amit kalantri, business, corporate, corporate world, hobby, human, humans, inspiration

In meetings philosophy might work,on the field practicality works.

Amit Kalantri

In meetings philosophy might work,on the field practicality works.

Tags: amit kalantri, business, corporate, corporate world, human, humans, inspiration, inspirational, meeting, meetings

Human beings have never agreed whether or not there is only one universal or sacred divine entity in a supposedly glorious and transcendent place.

Duop Chak Wuol

Human beings have never agreed whether or not there is only one universal or sacred divine entity in a supposedly glorious and transcendent place.

Tags: agreement, belief, beliefs, divine, entity, glorious, god, gods, human beings, philosophical

There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the chambers of parliament or the halls of academia but at the unpretentious setting of the kitchen table.

E.A. Bucchianeri

There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the chambers of parliament or the halls of academia but at the unpretentious setting of the kitchen table.

Tags: academia, academic, dinner, dinner table, family, family time, government, governments, humility, kitchen

They say the distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success, I believe you can say the same thing about the distance between good and evil.

Carl R White

They say the distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success, I believe you can say the same thing about the distance between good and evil.

Tags: cynical, cynicism, evil, evil men, evil people, genius, genius thinkers, good, good and bad, good and evil

Do you know what you get when you try to escape? When you drive for miles in a deserted city or swim for hours in a shoreless sea? You get yourself.

Kamand Kojouri

Do you know what you get when you try to escape? When you drive for miles in a deserted city or swim for hours in a shoreless sea? You get yourself.

Tags: accept, acceptance, acknowledge, awareness, city, confront, consciousness, deserted, drive, escape
About Julian Barnes

Julian Patrick Barnes (born 19 January 1946) is an English writer. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 with The Sense of an Ending, having been shortlisted three times previously with Flaubert's Parrot, England, England, and Arthur & George. Barnes has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh (having married Pat Kavanagh). In addition to novels, Barnes has published collections of essays and short stories.
In 2004 he became a Commandeur of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His honours also include the Somerset Maugham Award and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize. He was awarded the 2021 Jerusalem Prize.